Football, just like life, does not go the way as per an individual’s wish. Middlesbrough’s Viktor Fischer is the latest to realize this element. After having just moved to the north-east club in the summer, Fischer has managed to gain entry into the Premier League – widely regarded as one of the best leagues in the world. However, he says that he could have been a Premier League player much sooner had it not been for a very poor bit of luck. The Danish attacking midfielder was coming through the ranks at FC Midtjylland when Dutch outfit Ajax showed their interest.
Fischer, who is rated at €11.6 Million by the CIES Football Observatory, reveals that the interest from Ajax gave him a lot of dreams about going on and making it big in the world of football. Former European Cup winners, Ajax are nowadays seen as a stepping stone for some of the best players in the world. Playing for the Dutch outfit gives tremendous exposure to the top clubs across Europe. In the case of Fischer, it certainly was true since Manchester United were interested in him back in 2014. Just as the player was preparing for life in the Premier League, a hamstring injury dealt him a major blow and the transfer fell through. He said:
“When I was 15, I played at FC Midtjylland. The next thing was my move to Ajax, and when I had played two years there, I would move to Manchester United and within a year be the best footballer in the world.
“At one point, you can see that this isn’t how the football world works. Unless your name is Lionel Messi.”
Since then, however, life has taken a different turn from the rosy dreams. Fischer continued to spend his time with the Dutch outfit before finally earning a move to the Premier League in the summer, but it was not with Manchester United or any other top club for that matter. Fischer ended up joining newly promoted Middlesbrough as a €5 million signing. The 22-year-old says that this has given him experience that football is not always turn out to be as good as the dreams unless in the case of special names like Lionel Messi.
Joining Middlesbrough, though, gives him a great opportunity to potentially move to an even bigger Premier League club in the near future. He plays alongside the likes of Stewart Downing and Alvaro Negredo. It will undoubtedly impact on his quality, as the 22-year-old can learn a lot from these experienced stars. Middlesbrough have averaged one point per game after 11 league outings. It points out to the club’s enduring relegation struggle, which may very well go to the end of the campaign.
Still just 22, Fischer will probably know that an opportunity lost in football is not the end of the world. He still has the time to prove himself in the game and possibly secure a move to United in the future. The key element for Fischer would be to work hard. Several players from the Dutch league have failed to make an impression in the Premier League due to the gulf in class.
