After breaking into the Feyenoord first-team last season, Dylan Vente will be looking to enhance his reputation as one of the Netherlands most exciting young striker’s.
- By Chaka Simbeye
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In a way the 19-year-old was destined to a Feyenoord striker as his great uncle, Leen Vente scored the first ever goal in the club’s historic De Kuip stadium in 1937. The youngster has been prolific at youth level for the club since joining the academy in 2008 and his first goal for the first-team was eerily similar to the one his great-uncle scored as they both scored glancing headers from chipped crosses at the far post.
Last season, Vente started in the U19’s but due to injuries, Giovanni van Bronckhorst gave him chances with the first team and he did not disappoint. He not only made nine Eredivisie appearances, scoring three goals and providing three assists but also featured in the Champions League and KNVB Cup.
Vente has been a key member of the first-team squad during pre-season and he scored during the penalty shootout as Feyenoord lifted the Johan Cruijff Schaal against PSV Eindhoven.
Playing Style
Vente is the modern day multifaceted forward with an old-school edge to him as he is heavily involved in build-play, receiving the ball and redistributing it quickly with his back to goal while being able to play on the shoulder of the last defender. His first goal for Feyenoord against Sparta Rotterdam showed all his qualities as he received the ball to play it Karim El-Ahmadi who spread the ball to Jean-Paul Boetius on the left while Vente continued his run into the box and had the presence of mind to speed up his run and stay onside to head in Boetius’s cross.
The instinct and rapid changes of pace in the box are a staple of Vente’s game as against Willem II for his first goal, he sped up his run to slow it down in a matter of seconds to flick a cross past the keeper from a tight angle. He also thrives at running in the wide channels as he has created two goals from low crossing situations while he possesses an aerial ability that most attackers his age can lack.
What to expect from Vente this season
Nicolai Jorgensen and Robin van Persie are currently ahead of him in the pecking order at Feyenoord, but he did enough to convince Van Bronchorst that he warrants game time last season. He may also gain experience in two-striker formations and in a wider role but opportunities may be few and far between until Jorgensen inevitably departs.
Vente is an exciting prospect and one of the new generation of Dutch striker’s looking to make their breakthrough. Vente will be aiming for regular club football, but it will also be intriguing to see him, Sam Lammers, Myron Boadu, and Kaj Sierhuis battle for the starting striker role with Jong Oranje.
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