Amar Sejdic arrived in the Netherlands late. He missed the first few games of the season with his club Vitesse and he was a bit behind on his fitness.

That was only a few months ago. Now, he’s the one who is at the head of the pack.

The past few months have been kind to the 17-year-old, who is a rapidly rising talent in the Vitesse academy. Sejdic has gone from a squad member to a consistent starter with the club’s U19 team, which sits in 11th in the league standings.

“When we last talked, I wasn’t in the starting eleven,” Sejdic told TopDrawerSoccer.com in an interview on Monday. “I’m now playing as the No. 6 and starting. I’ve impressed the coaching staff and youth director. They’ve said I’ve done really well developing in such a short time.”

Sejdic did not let the compliments go to his head, though, as he added that he has to continue to prove his quality with every game. The midfielder said that he generally arrives at the club’s complex up to 90 minutes before practice so he can work on his fitness and strength. The extra time has been paying off on the field as he has logged 90 minutes regularly in the most recent games after starting his career as only a substitute.

The coach switched him from an attacking midfielder to a more defensive-minded midfielder prior to his promotion to the starting lineup. The transition came with some hiccups, but he is now getting the hang of the role.

“Naturally, I love going forward, but it’s risky for me to do that here,” Sejdic said. “As a No. 6, I have to be more aware of what is around me. I don’t know if I prefer either spot over the other. I can play any midfield position.”

That sort of versatility and work ethic has made him a target for the club as a possible signing in the future, which is a huge compliment to a 17-year-old player. The decision on his future is likely to be made before the end of this season when his stint with the club is set to expire.

“If the club does offer me a contract, I will have to talk about with my parents,” Sejdic said. “If not, I will go back home and continue with my old club and start looking into colleges.”

The teenager from Kentucky added that he has really enjoyed his time with the club and would love to stay on, but he is planning for every possibility, and college soccer remains in the discussion. He has heard from a handful of colleges over the past year and keeps himself NCAA-eligible by taking classes through online schooling.

Those targets are the distant future though, and Sejdic still has plenty of time to shape his perception in the Netherlands with over 10 games left in the season, which he described as “bad.”

“We only have five players who can’t play with the 19s next season,” Sejdic explained about the recent dropped results for the team. “We are one of the youngest teams and five of our losses have come late in the game.”

And the American is one of the youngest players on the team. Born in late November 1996, Sejdic is just over one month too old for the club’s U17 squad. Playing against older competition has certainly helped develop his game, as he had the opportunity to play alongside his former teammates in December at the Disney Soccer Showcase in Florida.

His team, the River City Rovers Youth Academy, won the title in the U18 age group for the Black division. Sejdic had a goal and an assist in the final against SAA Real Madrid.

“It was really weird [coming back to that level]. I was wondering why I wasn’t being defended,” Sejdic said. “It was a lot of fun. It was good to be back with my friends.”

While he enjoyed the time in the States – especially the time he was able to drive - he is back in the Netherlands now working toward a professional contract. He is also hopeful for a national team call-up in the future. He said that Bosnia has been in touch with him and said that they would bring him into the next U19 camp.

The U.S. has yet to reach out.

“It’s a little frustrating – feeling overlooked,” he said. “I know a lot of kids on the team. I think I could play at that level. They get scouted through the Academy and at the Showcase. I’m over here in Holland so it’s hard to get seen.”