Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp described Ajax as a team in transition ahead of his own team travelling to the Johan Cruijff ArenA, but a summer of departures has paved the way for the next generation of stars.
Manager Erik ten Hag wasn't the only key figure to leave Amsterdam over the summer. Lisandro Martinez and Antony joined the Dutchman at Manchester United, while Noussair Mazraoui, Ryan Gravenberch and Sebastien Haller also moved to pastures new.
Ajax's academy has long been the source of top talents, with the likes of Donny van de Beek and Frenkie de Jong starring in the run to the Champions League semi-finals in 2019, and each new round of departures brings a chance for another youngster to stake a claim. The latest starlet to break through is Kenneth Taylor, and the 20-year-old could have a big part to play against Klopp's Reds.
Taylor only made his senior debut for Ajax in December 2020, replacing Perr Schurrs in a 4-0 Eredivisie win over PEC Zwolle. Two more appearances followed, but his season ended early with a red card against VVV Venlo for a dangerous challenge on Danny Post.
That didn't deter Ten Hag from calling upon the youngster last season, though, and Taylor enjoyed a breakout campaign as Ajax won the title. He scored his first senior goal in a cup win over BVV Barendrecht before opening his league account in February, but already has three in the Eredivisie this season.
He told Football Oranje he prefers to play as an eight in the Ajax midfield, but has also been used as a left-sided number 10. The Alkmaar-born player has also broken into a competitive Dutch senior squad, and - with Gini Wijnaldum set to miss the World Cup - he could feature in Qatar.
Can Kenneth Taylor help Ajax upset Liverpool? Have your say in the comments section
"It's my dream to play in the starting eleven [at Ajax], so I hope that will be the case," he told Football Oranje in July. "Of course I hope [to play for the national team. If it's possible, I hope. That's also a big dream.
"If I don't get it then I will not be that happy with myself. It's my dream, and I love to chase my dreams, so I'm going to work f***ing hard for that."
It didn't take long for Taylor to achieve that dream. After scoring three times for Ajax before the international break, he was called up by Louis van Gaal for September's UEFA Nations League games and came off the bench against both Poland and Belgium.
Taylor's form has won him plenty of fans in Amsterdam, with new manager Alfred Schreuder using the midfielder regularly and CEO Edwin van der Sar singing his praises. Van der Sar described him as a "gem" in a recent interview with The Times, though he acknowledged “you can’t replace six players with youth products”.
Perhaps inevitably, Taylor has now been linked with a move to Manchester United and a reunion with Ten Hag. Former Ajax manager Aad de Mos made the prediction in September, but Ten Hag's side weren't the only ones mentioned.
"He will be the revelation of the Oranje at the World Cup. He is already one of the best players on the field at Ajax," De Mos told VoetbalNieuws (via Sport Witness ). "He will stay for another year after this, then it will be Barcelona, Real Madrid or Manchester United.
“If there are two buses parked in front of him, he knows how to make the right choices towards the strikers or players in his area. And he is two-footed. If the team is compact, you don’t have to be afraid. He has an iron will to defend and has a good head. A very talented player.”
The call-up in September is testament to Taylor's development under Schreuder, and the former Club Brugge manager shed light on his conversations with the rising star. The midfielder was joined in the squad by experienced forward Steven Bergwijn and veteran goalkeeper Remko Pasveer, with Taylor and Pasveer getting their first call-ups at different stages of their careers.
"I spoke to them and they were of course very happy," Schreuder said. "It is wonderful for both of them to be there for the first time.
“Steven Bergwijn is brought to Ajax as an international. But it is of course nice that Pasveer becomes international at Ajax and that Taylor comes through from the youth.”
With high hopes for Taylor - and a chance to enhance his reputation even further in Qatar - all eyes will be on him on Wednesday. It might be a time of transition for the Dutch champions, but they have talents capable of giving Liverpool a real run for their money.
