Opinion: Karsdorp arrival adds exciting talent to the right

The acquisition of Rick Karsdorp from Feyenoord is another decisive piece of business by Roma. The deal represents another smart move by the new sporting director, Monchi, and follows on the unexpected capture of Hector Moreno earlier in the month.

Having been an integral member of Feyenoord's memorable title-winning campaign last season, the dynamic right-back looks set to be moulded into a key option for Eusebio Di Francesco over the course of the upcoming Serie A crusade.

Blessed with pace, power and technique, Karsdorp is undoubtedly one of the most promising right-backs in Europe - and possesses just about all the necessary attributes to thrive in the modern game.

This, in part, might be due to a somewhat unorthodox development - the one-time attacking midfielder transferring his offensive instincts to a new role as a full-back at the relatively late age of 19.

The remnants of that attacking past are clear in the way he plays: he's a very accomplished passer and dribbler, and controls the ball with precision.

Moreover, his composure under pressure and capacity to make rapid decisions places him in good stead to make ideal choices, meaning he rarely turns the ball over cheaply. Capable of playing defence-splitting through balls, long diagonals or sublime one touch passes, Karsdorp's distribution will certainly add another dimension to Roma's work in the final third.

In the last two seasons no defender in the Dutch top flight created more goals (14) than Karsdorp - a tantalising insight into his attacking threat.

While his powerful, marauding forward runs will provide additional impetus, it's important to note how well he chooses when to bomb upfield, picking his moments intelligently when to push up or hold his position to ensure structural stability.

He’s still learning – even he has admitted as much - but his natural instincts are sound.

While the senior Dutch international admits he needs improvement on the defensive end, there's still plenty to admire about his protective work. He anticipates danger well and is never afraid to sacrifice himself to use his athleticism to get across and support a teammate. He has a good awareness of the space around him, and maintains higher concentration levels than one might expect for a player still learning the intricacies of the game.

Physically imposing - especially for a full-back - and solid in the air, Karsdorp is also a very challenging opponent to outmuscle in one-on-one duels, which suitably compliments his fine judgement when undertaking his challenges. The fact he committed only 0.5 fouls per 90 minutes last term, while still successfully winning 64% of his tackles and over 50% of his aerial battles aptly illustrates his efficiency.

Completing 5.34 successful defensive actions per 90 minutes, plus having an impressive 72% dribbling success rate and a 71% forward pass accuracy, it’s not hard to perceive a two-way player similar to Emerson Palmieri has arrived to offer similar options down the right.

When speaking in his first official interview on the Giallorossi's website, Karsdorp spoke insightfully about his conversion to full-back, where his strengths lie and how desperate he is to keep improving.

"I used to play as an attacking midfielder until the age of 18 or 19 then I switched to right-back with a licence to get forward," he explained. "As for my best attributes, I'm strong and fast and I have a decent shot on me. I can improve the defensive side of my game, though.

"I've been playing in this position for three years and I'm still learning but getting better all the time. In any case, I'm at my best going forward."

While it won't be easy for the man who's nicknamed the ‘locomotive’ courtesy of his barnstorming forward bursts, to settle into life in an unfamiliar country, having compatriot Kevin Strootman to help him adjust will be crucial for his integration, while having the likes of Alessandro Florenzi, Bruno Peres and Antonio Rudiger present means there will be no instant demands on him to perform week-in, week-out (although, equally, Karsdorp's arrival allows those three versatile players to potentially play other roles in the XI).

With roughly two months before the 2017-18 campaign kicks off, Karsdorp's got plenty of time to adapt to his new environment and Di Francesco's philosophy, to get his fitness where it needs to be – after a knock to end the 16-17 campaign – and adjust slowly to a new adventure.

In the meantime, fans have every reason to be excited about what Karsdorp might eventually bring to the side.