Nowadays it’s very easy to find yourself labelled as ‘the next big thing’ – in the world of football anyway.

With near enough every young star who bursts onto the scene being given the cursed label, it becomes increasingly hard to distinguish the wheat from the chaff. The Lionel Messi’s from the Freddy Adu’s, so-to-say.

However, when you’re the son of a Barcelona and Netherlands legend; have already established yourself as the star man in an extremely talented Ajax side while still a teenager; and have reportedly been earmarked by none other than Lionel Messi himself for superstardom – those credentials may validate such a claim.

Enter Justin Kluivert, son of Patrick, and the man on the lips of every big club across Europe.

The young Dutchman threw himself into the limelight last season, making a number of eye-catching cameos for Ajax, including in the Europa League final, where despite losing out to Manchester United, he made quite the impression. Jose Mourinho pulled him aside at the final himself to praise him.

And this season, he has turned those promising performances into consistent form, establishing himself as one of Ajax’s key men. Kluivert has seven goals – including a quite sensational hat-trick against Roda JC back in November – and four assists this season as his side sit second in the Eredivisie.

Ajax fans will be desperate to keep hold of their talented (quite literally) prodigal son, however come the summer, the hounds will without doubt come chasing.

Chelsea, Manchester United, Barcelona, Juventus and Arsenal are just a handful of Europe’s big clubs interested in securing the sought after services of the Dutch wonderkid.

But is he really all is he hyped to be? You be the judge …