Eredivisie

Former Ajax player Abdelhak Nouri has awoken from a coma after two years and nine months, according to the Dutch site AD (via beIN Sports).

The 22-year-old initially suffered a cardiac arrhythmia attack on the pitch during a July 2017 friendly, causing brain damage while leaving him in a coma. 

It took about seven minutes after Nouri had collapsed for medics to act, per Martin Mazur of BBC Sport. He was taken to hospital, where it was later revealed he had suffered serious brain damage.

Ajax later admitted in a statement that the on-field treatment was "inadequate."

"We recognize our responsibility and liability for the consequences of this," the club said.

Nouri has now emerged from his comatose state, although he can only "eat, sleep and frown" while remaining heavily dependent on care.

Nouri was considered a promising prospect for the Dutch club, making his way to the senior team at just 19 years old while appearing in 15 matches for Ajax.

United States men's national team member Sergino Dest left Ajax's training camp in Qatar over his concerns regarding the tensions between the United States and Iran.

According to Joe Prince-Wright of NBC Sports' Pro Soccer Talk, Ajax released the following statement supporting Dest's decision to go back to the Netherlands: "Sergino Dest asked if he could leave the training camp of Ajax in Qatar. He didn't feel comfortable. Ajax understands his request and has responded to it. The right back returns to Young Ajax in Amsterdam."

After the U.S. killed Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani in an air strike on Friday, Iran retaliated by launching missiles at an airbase in Iraq that was housing American troops. No casualties were reported.

Prior to Dest's request to leave Qatar, the USMNT postponed plans to hold a training camp of its own in Qatar this week ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The 19-year-old Dest was born in the Netherlands to a Dutch mother and American father, and he chose to represent the United States at senior level, as he did throughout his youth international career.

Dest has appeared in three matches for the USMNT after playing in five games for the U17 team and 10 matches for the U20 squad.

This season is Dest's first with Ajax after spending the 2018-19 campaign with Jong Ajax in the second tier of Dutch soccer. In 14 appearances for Ajax this season, Dest has two goals, both of which came in a Dutch Cup match in December against second division team Telstar.

Dest was scheduled to take part in two friendlies for Ajax in Qatar during the Eredivisie winter break, but he will instead train with the reserve team.

Sergino Dest's route to the United States men's national team has not been conventional. Until five years ago, the Ajax starlet had never even been to the country. 

Born and bred in the Netherlands, he visited New York with his father—a U.S. serviceman—in 2014. Dest was mesmerised.

"We were on a shuttle bus and, as we came out of a tunnel, we were in the middle of the city," he said in an interview with the USMNT-focused Scuffed podcast. "My eyes were instantly open."

Fast-forward to today, and Dest is one of the most talked-about names in U.S. soccer. After making his senior team debut in September in a friendly against Mexico, the full-back is now helping to open other people's eyes to a style of play they have been yearning for.

Dest, 18, is quick, technically excellent and skilful. He shows a fearlessness on the ball that is rare in someone so young. 

Yet the U.S. now have a battle on their hands to keep him in the stars and stripes. 

Dest, who has a Dutch mother, represented the Netherlands in younger age groups but began featuring for the United States' youth teams at under-17 level through to under-20, playing in two underage FIFA World Cups. However, the Netherlands are now interested in him again, having witnessed his progression into an Ajax first-teamer.

He played twice for the USMNT in the last international break but is not involved this time around. Playing in friendly matches is one thing, but if he features in a competitive match, that will be him set for the rest of his career. So he's stepping back for a moment.

Even though it is the United States who have shown most faith in him, he understandably can't dismiss the country he has known his entire life. The country in which he learned his trade. A country who, let's face it, have a better pedigree in the game than the U.S.

So what will he do?

America has become a huge part of Dest's life. The opportunity to represent them cropped up by chance when former U.S. under-20 assistant coach Dave van den Bergh, who played for Ajax in the 1990s, touched base with his former club about a different player, before asking if there were any players he should be aware of with dual nationality.

Since then, Dest has been part of the U.S. soccer set-up, accepting the chance to represent them at the U17 World Cup in 2017. He was also named in the team of the tournament in November's CONCACAF U20 Championship after the U.S. beat Mexico in the final. He was impressive, too, in May's U20 World Cup.

His development over the past 12 months has been meteoric. He has evolved from a young man in Ajax's youth academy, playing under-19 and under-21 football and training a handful of times with the first team, to a regular in a side regarded by some as the most entertaining in Europe. He made his Eredivisie debut in August and now has 13 senior appearances to his name, including UEFA Champions League outings against Lille and Valencia.

Dest is a phenomenon, the latest off a conveyor belt of talent in Amsterdam. Earlier this year, their latest gems, Frenkie de Jong and Matthijs de Ligt, left the club to sign for Barcelona and Juventus, respectively, for a combined $190 million, per Forbes. It is reasonable to expect that Dest will eventually follow them to one of Europe's very top clubs.

B/R sources indicate that Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are already tracking his performances with a view to a future move to sign him. The player himself may not be so keen on such a prospect, though.

"I want to play at Barcelona, Real Madrid..." he told Scuffed. "The Premier League is good, but I don't know if it fits my style. It is very physical." 

Adam Belz is one of the few USMNT soccer fanatics lucky enough to have grabbed time with Dest to understand how his mind works. He runs the Scuffed podcast and interviewed the teenager in January, just as Dest was preparing for his big breakthrough.

"I was struck by his combination of confidence and humility," Belz told B/R. "He came across as a player with big ambitions, but one who knew it would take hard work for him to realise those ambitions.

"The traits that really stood out were his candor and a clear-eyed assessment of himself. I asked him what he needed to improve and he gave a long list of specific things: fitness, left foot, passing, first touch, shot. 'I want to be a complete player,' he said. 'I want to be good at every single part.'

"He also admitted he played scared on the ball at the 2017 Under-17 World Cup, and said he regretted that. He vowed not to play that way in the 2019 Under-20 World Cup. That impressed me—and he made good on that vow in May."

The podcast's interview with Dest is fascinating, and you can hear it here. 

Jan Verdonk has supported Ajax since 1991 and has spent a long time watching the club's youth teams. He's witnessed Dest's growth from boy to man. 

"The first time I saw Dest playing was when he was 14 years old," he tells B/R. "He was very small, not special at all in my view, and I never thought he would make it all the way to Ajax senior team. But he started to change when he was around 16.

"He grew physically in this period, and although he was a right back, he played at several other positions as well in this phase. He impressed me several times as a winger, where he showed great technical skills. The thing was, wherever he was playing, he did well. He proved to be extremely aware of his tasks, and eagerness to learn and improve.

"This great mentality might be the American side of his genes, but it was impressive.”

Dest is not the finished article; there is still room for growth, and he knows it. But he's doing everything he can to improve day by day. As part of his push to become a complete player, he made the most of resources offered by Sanjiv, a devout U.S. Soccer fan and analyst who runs the Twitter account @USMNTvideos. Sanjiv often collates "highlight reels of up-and-coming players."   

"My first time watching him was at the Under-17 World Cup," Sanjiv tells B/R. "I have periodically talked to him for about a year now. He would send me Jong Ajax games last year and sometimes tell me he's playing a game and ask for me to make a video.

"I sent him videos I made of him at first, and I think he liked to get the videos for his own viewing. But he posted one on his Instagram once of his CONCACAF Under-20 performance.

"I think his ability to forget mistakes and move on is one of the many special qualities he has. As any young defender is prone to, he will make mistakes."

Sanjiv notes the first goal against Ukraine in the U20 World Cup as an example of this. "After that mistake, he was still not at his complete best," he explained. "But shortly thereafter, he made up for it by combining and creating the [United States'] equaliser. As a person, I like his attitude in showing no fear and having confidence in himself.

"After he was nutmegged by Jesus Corona (which led to a goal) in a match between USMNT and Mexico, Dest reacted similarly, saying: 'It's just a great action from him. I don't think I played a bad game, just that moment was crucial. I have to learn from it.'"

Sanjiv adds: "You can see the confidence he has but also the ability to move on. As a USMNT player, he can serve as a vital piece to our back line—whether that be at right-back or at left-back."

Marc Geschwind is a football analyst and Ajax expert, watching every game at senior and youth level. 

"I first noticed him during the 2017-2018 UEFA Youth League, which is when I typically start to look for the next wave of Ajax youth talent," he told B/R. "He played as a full-back and as a winger, and I immediately noticed how quick and skilful he was. 

"From his speed and fearlessness to his fast feet and skilful dribbling, there's a lot that stands out when you watch Dest, but if I had to pick one thing that impresses me the most, it's his combination play and overall comfort on the ball.

"It's not that rare to see a fast full-back who's a good dribbler, but it's a lot more rare to see a full-back who is so relaxed on the ball and can offer so much in possession. That's what makes him Dani Alves- or Marcelo-esque.

"The best teams in the world need full-backs confident and competent enough to find their own solutions when there seemingly are none, and that's exactly what he does." 

Geschwind adds: "I think it's hard to say he should play for either USMNT or Netherlands...but being valued is often the most important thing for a player, and I think Sergino recognises how much the United States believe in him.

"At the end of the day, it'll be his decision to make, and I don't think any parties involved can be too upset no matter the outcome."

It is time to believe the hype around Dest. This teenager is the real deal, and a battle for his services is well worthwhile.

Various sources close to Dest have been contacted by B/R to get guidance over his decision, and most on the U.S. side of the picture seem very relaxed over how the future will now shape up. They have quiet confidence he will stick with them after getting a taste of life in their ranks.

But those in the Netherlands hold hope, too. They know Ajax's commitment to bringing him through is appreciated, and they also feel he is excited by the crop of players the national team currently have coming through.

Sources also believe he has a determination to play at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, so he has to weigh up that situation.

Now, as Dest takes his time to make the biggest decision of his career, we must wait for the outcome.

Listen to Dean on the B/R Football Ranks podcast. New episodes every Wednesday. 

Ajax midfielder Donny van de Beek has ruled out leaving the Eredivisie side during the January transfer window amid speculation Real Madrid are interested in his services.

He told Voetbal International (h/t Marca) that he does not want to change clubs in the middle of a season but may reassess his future next summer.

"I don't want to leave during the January transfer window," he said. "I'll play here until the end of the season; I'll finish the year at Ajax. That gives me peace of mind. We'll see what happens later. Do they know that in Madrid? Surely everyone knows. I don't like the idea of changing teams midseason."

Van de Beek told Fox Sports (h/t Carlos Forjanes of AS) in August that "Real Madrid are interested in me," but a move to the Santiago Bernabeu failed to materialise.

Los Blancos decided to put the transfer on hold but will renew their interest next summer when the transfer window reopens, according to Forjanes.

The 22-year-old has shone at Ajax as part of Erik ten Hag's talented young team that claimed a domestic league/cup double last season.

The team also beat Real Madrid and Juventus on their way to reaching the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League.

The midfielder racked up 12 goals for Ajax in 2018-19 and was also the top midfielder in the league when it came to assists:

Ten Hag made it clear he wanted to keep hold of Van de Beek amid interest from Real:

Ajax plan to hand the Netherlands international an improved deal to reward him for his performances, but "the length of his contract will not be extended beyond 2022," according to Voetbal International (h/t AS).

The Dutch side lost Frenkie de Jong to Barcelona and Matthijs de Ligt to Juventus in the summer transfer window, and it would be no surprise if Van de Beek were the next player to be snapped up by one of Europe's biggest clubs.

Ajax sold two rare prospects when Matthijs de Ligt and Frenkie de Jong left this summer, but club captain Dusan Tadic has said the team "were not sad" after they joined Juventus and Barcelona, respectively. 

Tadic, 30, took the armband following De Ligt's departure and is already off to a flying start this season. He spoke to the Telegraph's Luke Edwards ahead of Ajax's UEFA Champions League group-stage opener at home to Lille on Tuesday:

"We were not sad De Jong and De Ligt left. We will miss them, but it's the next step for them and Ajax likes to support their players who feel the time is right to move on.

"They have both gone to big clubs, nobody was surprised. The nice thing is, there were a lot of other players who could have left and decided to stay because they are having their best days here. This is important.

"It will be harder without those two, but not impossible. We still have a good team. We can still win trophies. We can still do well in Europe, and there are more young players coming through who will make their impact."

Player turnover is traditionally frequent at the Johan Cruyff Arena. Ajax are renowned for their ability to produce and develop talent—both foreign and those local to the Netherlands—before selling for big profit.

Tadic continued: "Ajax have sold big players before, that is the way of life for us, so it is up to the young players to stand up and take more responsibility. They will have a chance, there are so many of them coming through."

The Serb already has eight goals and five assists in 10 appearances this season, recording 10 direct goal contributions (five goals, five assists) in five Eredivisie matches alone.

Squawka noted his importance to Ajax's pressing tactics during last term's run to the Champions League semi-finals, when they exited on away goals after drawing 3-3 with Tottenham Hotspur on aggregate:

Tadic isn't in doubt as to the quality De Ligt and De Jong provided—Ajax won a domestic double last term. But the new captain has faith in the fresh team taking shape under manager Erik ten Hag.

Ajax received €75 million from Juve and Barca for each of De Ligt, a club product, and De Jong—who joined in from Willem II in 2015 for €1 (plus 10 per cent of his future transfer fee), according to 433 (h/t AS). The Amsterdam giants brought in another €20 million (£18.2 million) when they sold Kasper Dolberg to Nice in August.

The club reinvested a combined €22 million to sign centre-backs Lisandro Martinez (€7 million) and Edson Alvarez (€15 million), per Bobby McMahon of Forbes.

Winger Quincy Promes also arrived from Sevilla for a reported €16 million, while the club did well to keep hold of players like Donny van de Beek, Nicolas Tagliafico and David Neres.

Tadic—who recently extended his contract to 2023—is one of the veterans in the team, but he has enjoyed a resurgence in the Netherlands since he joined from Southampton in 2018, via BT Sport (UK only):

De Ligt and De Jong have each encountered struggles early on in Turin and Catalonia, respectively. The former has been guilty of some noteworthy mistakes in Juve's defence already, while De Jong hasn't had quite the calming effect Barcelona hoped for.

Many will wonder about the gaps left at Ajax after that star pair left; Tadic is more interested in who is ready to break through at Ajax in their places.

Donny van de Beek has said there is "a very good chance" he will stay at Ajax despite interest from Real Madrid. 

The 22-year-old recently confirmed to Fox Sports (h/t Carlos Forjanes of AS) the Spanish giants "are interested" in signing him.

He has emerged as a midfield target for Los Blancos after moves for Manchester United's Paul Pogba and Tottenham Hotspur's Christian Eriksen failed to materialise.

But it now looks as though Real could miss out on Van de Beek also after he said he could well remain at Ajax, per Ziggo Sport (h/t Goal's Joe Wright):

"[Real are] a fantastic club, but Ajax are too. I've nothing to complain about in that regard. There's a very good chance I'll continue playing here, but nothing is certain yet."

The Dutchman added that he hopes his future will be resolved soon as he is "a bit fed up with all the questions about it."

Van de Beek played a key role in Ajax's superb 2018-19 season, where they won the Eredivisie for the first time since 2014 and made the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League:

He netted nine goals and provided 10 assists in the Dutch top flight last season, and he has started the new campaign in similarly fine form:

Ajax manager Erik ten Hag has lost some crucial players over the summer, most notably midfielder Frenkie de Jong and centre-back Matthijs de Ligt, who have joined Barcelona and Juventus, respectively:

If the Amsterdam giants keep hold of Van de Beek, though, it will be a big boost for their ambitions in 2019-20.

They do not necessarily have any need to sell the Netherlands international as he is contracted to the club until 2022, and if he has another fine campaign at Ajax, he will likely only be worth more next summer. 

Ajax manager Erik ten Hag has said he is hopeful that Donny van de Beek will remain at the Dutch champions in 2019-20 despite links to Real Madrid.

Van De Beek recently told Fox Sports (h/t Carlos Forjanes of AS) the Spanish giants were "interested in me."

According to Ben Hayward of the Evening Standard, Real have turned their interest to the 22-year-old as a midfield alternative to Paul Pogba, who looks set to remain at Manchester United.

Ten Hag, though, is confident that Van De Beek is committed to Ajax and could stay past the end of the transfer window at the beginning of September, per Marca:

"[Van de Beek] only dedicates himself to playing. I guess and I hope that he stays with us this season. Otherwise, I will hear from [Ajax director of football] Marc Overmars."

Ajax have lost a number of key players this summer from the squad that won the Dutch league title last season and made it to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League, knocking out Real Madrid and Juventus on the way.

Most notably, midfielder Frenkie de Jong has gone to Barcelona and centre-back Matthijs de Ligt has joined Juventus:

If Van De Beek were to leave also, it would be a big blow for Ajax, as he is superb on the ball, boasts a fantastic passing range and is only likely to get better with more experience. 

The Dutchman netted nine goals and provided 10 assists in the Dutch top flight last season, and he has started the new campaign in brilliant fashion, already registering two goals and two assists in two appearances:

Real are fairly ruthless, though, when it comes to signing the targets they want. 

They look to have missed out on Pogba and Tottenham Hotspur's Christian Eriksen in their bid to strengthen in the midfield.

But should Los Blancos decide that they cannot go into the 2019-20 season without strengthening in the middle of the park, they have the financial clout to table tempting offers to both Ajax and Van De Beek.

Hakim Ziyech said he could have joined Bayern Munich this summer but decided to sign a new contract with Ajax because the German club took too long to make a move. 

Ziyech signed a new deal on Friday, extending his stay in Amsterdam until 2022, amid links to the Bundesliga champions.

On the prospect of entering his fourth season with the club, he told Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad's Freek Jansen (h/t Goal's James Westwood):

"I really enjoy playing for Ajax. It feels good.

"I am sure Sevilla are a nice club, but I have always said that everything needed to be just right if I were to make a move.

"Sevilla didn't give me that feeling, so I would rather stay at Ajax. I could have waited for Bayern Munich, yeah. But it felt like the right moment to clarify my situation, both for Ajax and myself.

"If a club wanted me, they could have made their move. I think everybody's seen what we did with Ajax and what my role was in that success.

"A transfer was never the holy grail for me. If the right club doesn't come along, so be it. I signed a new deal and will definitely remain at Ajax this season."

Last season, Ziyech played a key role in Ajax winning the Eredivisie title and enjoying a sensational run to the UEFA Champions League semi-final.

Along the way, he notched 21 goals and 24 assists in all competitions, which included contributions against Real Madrid, Juventus and Tottenham Hotspur.

It was the most prolific campaign of his career, while his assist return is indicative of a creative player:

Some of Ajax's best talents, including Frenkie de Jong and Matthijs de Ligt, have been cherry-picked by other sides following their excellent campaign last season. As such, Ziyech's decision to stay put is important.

He has already impressed this season, with a goal and two assists in four matches.

On Saturday, he scored in a 5-0 win over FC Emmen, and football statistician Dave O'Brien shared the numbers behind his excellent showing:

The 26-year-old is at the peak of his powers, and he would likely have been a strong acquisition for Bayern on the right wing as they're in need of replacements for Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery following their departures at the end of last season.

Bayern spent much of the summer linked with Leroy Sane, but the Manchester City star will be out of action until next year with a knee injury.

With Ziyech no longer an option either, the Bavarian club will need to look elsewhere or make do with their wide options until they can try again next summer.

Strong winds in the Netherlands caused the partial collapse of the roof of AZ Alkmaar's AFAS Stadium on Saturday.

Sports writer Brian Wijker shared this photo of the damage:

According to Sky Sports, no one was hurt, as AZ were not in the ground at the time.

General manager Robert Eenhoorn reacted to the collapse: "This surprised us all. We are very shocked but happy that there was no human suffering. In the coming days, we will conduct a study with experts in this field. Only when that investigation has been done can we elaborate on the matter. It is much too early for that now."

The Netherlands has been hit hard by inclement weather in recent days. On Friday, a small tornado briefly touched down in the capital of Amsterdam:

According to Dutch publication Algemeen Dagblad, AZ had their Saturday training session indoors because of weather warnings. The Dutch side will travel to Waalwijk for a clash with RKC on Sunday and are scheduled to play host to FC Mariupol in a UEFA Europa League qualifier on Thursday.

Eenhoorn acknowledged that match may not be played in Alkmaar: "We have a big problem. Everything will have to be investigated first. I just spoke briefly to the city, fire department and police, but there is little we can say. We don't know exactly what happened. There won't be any matches played in the stadium if the situation isn't safe."

AZ are likely to be cautious, as memories of the 2011 disaster in Enschede are still fresh. Per BBC Sport, two people died and more than a dozen were injured when part of FC Twente's De Grolsch Veste stadium collapsed while construction was going on.

The AFAS Stadium opened in 2006 and seats just over 17,000 fans.