Kluivert had a disrupted preseason through injury and so missed the opening day of the season and then played only 12 and nine minutes off the bench against Wolves and Spurs.
Further appearances off the bench came against Brighton and Newcastle, before he started against Leeds.
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But that was one of only three starts so far this term, as Kluivert adapts to a slightly different role at the start of this campaign to last term.
Justin Kluivert (Image: Richard Crease)
Last term, the Dutchman almost nailed down the spot as Andoni Iraola’s attacking midfielder, playing through the middle behind Evanilson.
His flying form meant he was difficult to drop, but the form of Marcus Tavernier, David Brooks and Antoine Semenyo has meant opportunities for the Dutchman have been fewer this term.
However, he has shown he can have a real impact off the bench, scoring a wonder goal in the comeback 3-1 in over Fulham.
Kluivert’s adaptability has been a feature of his game throughout his career.
Justin Kluivert (Image: Keith Gillard)
Son of Dutch legend Patrick, the forward broke through into Ajax’s first team as primarily a right winger at the start of 2017, at the age of 17, and scored his first Eredivisie goal ten years and one day after his dad’s last career goal that March.
Kluivert was also deployed on the left at times in his first season, and played predominantly there in his second campaign for the Dutch club.
He then signed for AS Roma in Italy, where again he played on both the left and right in his two full seasons there, before joining Leipzig in the Bundesliga on a season long loan.
He then joined Nice in France for the 2021/22 season on loan again, before heading to Spain and Valencia for another loan the following campaign.
Justin Kluivert scored a brilliant hattrick at Newcastle last season. (Image: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire)
Kluivert’s flexibility saw him deployed in a number of different positions for these three sides, although he was predominantly a left winger before he signed permanently for the Cherries in the summer of 2023.
Goals for all his clubs means he is the only player to have scored goals in all five of Europe’s top leagues and the Dutch Eredivisie, with Stevan Jovetic the only other player to do it in the top five divisions.
Andoni Iraola’s first season in charge saw Kluivert start to feature more through the middle in the number ten role, and it was a successful one, which saw him make 32 appearances in the league with 26 starts.
Justin Kluivert (Image: Richard Crease)
He solidified his spot in the role behind the striker last term – but he faces a different challenge of needing to displace one of the in-form Cherries forwards if he is to get more starts.
But he has looked good off the bench, and if he continues to score more goals like the one he did against Fulham, he is sure to get more minutes, and his ability to play across the front line could get him opportunities.
He will just need to grasp them with both hands when they come along.