Serie A side Lazio have officially confirmed the signing of former Ajax midfielder Kenneth Taylor, with the Dutchman putting pen to paper on a 4.5-year contract with the Roman club.

Ajax confirmed that the 23-year-old completed his move for a fixed fee of €16.85 million. A product of Ajax’s famed youth academy, Taylor had attracted strong interest in recent weeks and was close to joining FC Porto, but ultimately opted for Lazio over both the Portuguese giants and Galatasaray.

Taylor had already been linked with a departure from Ajax last summer, with FC Porto keen to reunite him with head coach Francesco Farioli, who left the Amsterdam club after just one season.

‘Here to win trophies’

Speaking in his first media appearance as a Lazio player, Taylor expressed his excitement about the move.

“I’m happy to start this new adventure. Lazio are a great club,” he said. “Last year, they beat us 3–1 and made a great impression on us. I’ll try to bring everything I learned at Ajax here with the aim of winning trophies.

“At a big club like Lazio, there’s always pressure, but I think as a team we can handle it well and approach every match with the idea of winning.”

Ajax legacy

During his time in Amsterdam, Taylor won two Eredivisie titles and lifted the KNVB Beker in 2021. Ajax director of football Marijn Beuker paid tribute to the midfielder’s development and contribution to the club.

“Kenneth is a true Ajacied who progressed from our youth academy to the first team at a young age and is therefore an example for our current youth players,” Beuker said.

“He developed into a regular member of the midfield and made an important contribution to our sporting performances in recent years. Kenneth wants to take the next step in his career, and we are happy to grant him that opportunity. We thank him for his efforts and wish him every success in Italy.”

Taylor enjoyed his most productive spell under Farioli, registering nine goals and six assists in the league as Ajax narrowly missed out on a record-extending 37th Eredivisie title. This season, he contributed two goals and two assists in 21 appearances across all competitions.

Since making his senior debut in 2020, Taylor amassed 184 appearances for Ajax, scoring 36 goals and providing 27 assists before sealing his move to Lazio.