Kian Fitz-Jim

Kian Fitz-Jim
Fitz-Jim with Ajax in 2024
Personal information
Full name Kian Franklin Fitz-Jim[1]
Date of birth (2003-07-05) 5 July 2003
Place of birth Amsterdam, Netherlands
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)[2]
Position Central midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Torino
Number 28
Youth career
2011–2013 Buitenveldert
2013–2015 AFC
2015–2019 AZ Alkmaar
2019–2020 Ajax
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020–2024 Jong Ajax 102 (5)
2023–2026 Ajax 48 (3)
2023–2024 → Excelsior (loan) 13 (1)
2026– Torino 0 (0)
International career‡
2017–2018 Netherlands U15 5 (1)
2018–2019 Netherlands U16 2 (0)
2019 Netherlands U17 4 (0)
2021 Netherlands U19 6 (0)
2023 Netherlands U20 1 (0)
2024–2025 Netherlands U21 4 (1)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 31 July 2026
‡ National team caps and goals as of 25 March 2025

Kian Franklin Fitz-Jim (born 5 July 2003) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Serie A club Torino.

Club career

Ajax

After developing in the youth academies of Buitenveldert, AFC, and AZ Alkmaar, Fitz-Jim signed with Ajax on 18 June 2019.[3] He made his professional debut with the reserve team, Jong Ajax, in the Eerste Divisie on 21 December 2020, appearing as a substitute in a 2–1 loss to SC Telstar.[4] Over the next few seasons, Fitz-Jim became a key player and regular starter for Jong Ajax, eventually making over 100 appearances for the team in the Eerste Divisie.[5] He made his unofficial senior team debut in a friendly against FC Utrecht on 24 March 2021.[6][7]

Fitz-Jim made his competitive debut for Ajax's first team under manager Alfred Schreuder on 8 January 2023, coming on as a substitute in a 1–1 Eredivisie draw away to NEC.[8] He made three further appearances during the 2022–23 season, two coming in the KNVB Cup.[5]

On 30 August 2023, Fitz-Jim extended his contract with Ajax until June 2027 and was immediately sent on a season-long loan to fellow Eredivisie side Excelsior.[9] He scored his first Eredivisie goal while at Excelsior, making 13 league appearances and 15 total appearances for the club during the first half of the season.[5] However, on 11 January 2024, Ajax recalled Fitz-Jim, terminating the loan spell early.[10] He featured primarily for Jong Ajax after his return for the remainder of the 2023–24 season.[5]

The 2024–25 season marked Fitz-Jim's breakthrough into the Ajax first team under manager Francesco Farioli. He became a regular member of the midfield rotation, making 27 Eredivisie appearances as both a starter and substitute.[5] He scored his first competitive goals for Ajax during this campaign, netting twice in domestic league play.[5] He also made significant contributions in the UEFA Europa League, scoring four goals in 15 appearances across the qualifying rounds and league phase, including strikes against Beşiktaş[11] and Galatasaray.[12][5] His goal against Galatasaray was voted Ajax's Goal of the Month for January 2025.[12]

Fitz-Jim continued as a member of the senior squad during the 2025–26 season, participating in both domestic action and five appearances in the UEFA Champions League.[5] In total, he made 72 official first-team appearances across all competitions during his tenure at Ajax.[13]

Torino

On 31 July 2026, Fitz-Jim signed for Serie A club Torino on a permanent transfer from Ajax.[13][14]

International career

Fitz-Jim is a youth international for the Netherlands.[3] He is also eligible to represent Hong Kong and Suriname through his parents.[15][16] In 2023, then-Hong Kong national team manager Jørn Andersen expressed interest in selecting him to represent Hong Kong.[17]

Personal life

Fitz-Jim was born in the Netherlands. His father, also born in the Netherlands, is of Surinamese and Chinese descent.[18] His mother is a Hongkonger who emigrated to the Netherlands in childhood.[19] Fitz-Jim holds a Hong Kong identity card and speaks Cantonese.[20]

Career statistics

Club

As of 31 July 2026[5]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Jong Ajax 2020–21 Eerste Divisie 211———211
2021–22 Eerste Divisie 340———340
2022–23 Eerste Divisie 303———303
2023–24 Eerste Divisie 171———171
Total 1025———1025
Excelsior (loan) 2023–24 Eredivisie 13120——151
Ajax 2022–23 Eredivisie 2020000040
2023–24 Eredivisie 2000000020
2024–25 Eredivisie 2722015[b]4—446
2025–26 Eredivisie 171005[c]0—221
Total 4834020400727
Torino 2026–27 Serie A 0000——00
Career total 1639602040018913
  1. ↑ Includes KNVB Cup, Coppa Italia
  2. ↑ Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  3. ↑ Appearances in UEFA Champions League

References

  1. ↑ "UEFA Europa League 2024/2025: Booking List before League Phase Matchday 4" (PDF). UEFA. 1 November 2021. p. 4. Retrieved 3 November 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  2. ↑ "Kian Fitz-Jim". AFC Ajax. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  3. 1 2 "Kian Fitz-Jim mag zich officieel Ajacied noemen". www.ajaxshowtime.com.
  4. ↑ "Ajax II vs. Telstar – 21 December 2020". Soccerway.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Kian Fitz-Jim at Soccerway
  6. ↑ "Ajax zet FC Utrecht in besloten oefenduel opzij | Ajax Showtime". www.ajaxshowtime.com. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  7. ↑ "Keeper De Keijzer maakt rentree in oefenpartij tegen Ajax". FC Utrecht. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  8. ↑ "Kian Fitz-Jim". AFC Ajax. Retrieved 1 April 2025.
  9. ↑ "Contract extension and loan Kian Fitz-Jim". Ajax. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  10. ↑ "Kian Fitz-Jim returns to Ajax". Ajax. 11 January 2024. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  11. ↑ "Fitz-Jim: 'We came here to dominate'". AFC Ajax. 27 September 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2025.
  12. 1 2 "Fitz-Jim wins Goal of the Month: 'Credits to Pasveer as well'". AFC Ajax. 7 February 2025. Retrieved 1 April 2025.
  13. 1 2 "Kian Fitz-Jim joins Torino FC". AFC Ajax. 31 July 2026. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  14. ↑ "Fitz-Jim al Toro". Torino FC. 31 July 2026. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  15. ↑ "專訪港足新帥安達臣1︱ 前德甲神射手 誓重建港隊：沒戴偉浚也可". 香港01 (in Traditional Chinese). 14 June 2022.
  16. ↑ "足球｜華裔荷甲小將返港惹討論 菲慈佔天樂稱暫仍望為荷蘭上陣". Yahoo Sports (in Chinese). 29 May 2024. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
  17. ↑ 顏銘輝 (27 September 2024). "歐霸｜華裔小將建功助阿積士大勝 菲慈佔天樂母親為香港人". 香港01 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Retrieved 27 September 2024.
  18. ↑ "Fitz-Jim krijgt opmerkingen over haardos: 'Dat moeten ze vooral doen'". Ajax Showtime (in Dutch). 17 February 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  19. ↑ "荷甲｜華裔小將菲慈佔天樂首為阿積士上陣 有香港身分證獲港足主帥關注 (18:01) - 20230109 - 體育". 明報新聞網 - 即時新聞 instant news (in Traditional Chinese). Retrieved 27 September 2024.
  20. ↑ "歐霸│阿積士4:0比錫達斯 持香港身份證小將菲慈佔天樂入波 今季已成主力". Sing Tao (in Traditional Chinese). 27 September 2024.
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