Tag: Ajax

Hayes: Yohannes still undecided on international future after USWNT Olympic omission

The USWNT and Netherlands are both hoping to land the 17-year-old midfielder

U.S. women’s national team head coach Emma Hayes said Lily Yohannes is still undecided on her international future after the teenager wasn’t named to the USWNT’s Olympic roster.

Yohannes had an incredible USWNT debut earlier this month, scoring against South Korea in a 20-minute cameo to become the third-youngest goalscorer in program history.

The Ajax midfielder, who turned 17 this month, was born in Virginia and moved to the Netherlands with her family when she was 10. She is expected to gain Dutch citizenship soon, and will then face a decision over which country to represent.

Speaking to the media after naming her 18-player Olympic roster, Hayes said that Yohannes was considered for the squad but has yet to fully decide on which country she wants to play for in the long run.

“Lily was a consideration for this roster but at this moment, Lily hasn’t made a decision about her future and I support that,” Hayes said.

“I’m sure everybody can appreciate she’s a young player that really enjoyed her time with us at the last camp. But it’s an important decision and one that I support.

“One thing I want is for every player that’s part of this roster [to be] conscious of all the commitments and opportunities that come with that, but that moment isn’t now with Lily.

“I will continue to work with with Lily beyond the Olympics and I really do hope that she will be part of our future. But at this moment, she wasn’t ready to make that decision, and I fully support it.”

Hayes did not specify if Yohannes would have been on her roster if she were ready to commit to the USWNT.

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Dest future unclear as PSV reportedly declines €10m purchase clause

A convoluted situation has thrown Dest’s future at PSV into question

Sergiño Dest seemed set to convert his successful first season with PSV into a longer stay, but a new development has thrown the U.S. men’s national team right back’s future into uncertainty.

Eindhovens Dagblad reported on Thursday that PSV has decided to decline a €10 million purchase clause built into the loan deal with Barcelona that sent the 23-year-old to the Eredivisie for the 2023-24 season.

Dest was superb for PSV throughout a campaign that saw the club storm to both a 25th Dutch crown and the knockout stages of the Champions League.

However, on April 20 Dest suffered what turned out to be a torn ACL in training, and will be sidelined for several months at minimum.

Despite the injury, PSV manager Peter Bosz expressed strong interest in signing Dest to a permanent contract, praising the USMNT defender as a good fit for both his system and within the locker room.

It wasn’t the first time an authority at PSV said something along those lines. In December, sporting director Earnie Stewart said that the Dutch power would “probably do something” with the purchase clauses for both Dest and USMNT teammate Malik Tillman this summer.

Dest had also said he was enjoying his time with PSV, though his interest in staying further was offered in measured terms.

“I just want to go for my development and where I can play the most,” said Dest in April, just days before suffering his injury. “I have really been able to play my way up again [at PSV] and I want to continue to do so. Wherever my future lies, I just want to be able to play and develop myself.”

PSV may wait to sign Dest for free

Since then, two factors have complicated the matter. The first issue had crept into the discussion even before Dest’s injury: the combination of an eight-figure transfer fee and Dest’s desire to stay on wages in line with those in his contract with Barcelona is more than PSV was prepared to spend.

Second, the Eindhovens Dagblad report noted that Dest’s injury has removed the urgency to get a deal done quickly, as the fullback will almost certainly miss the first half of the 2024-25 season.

The theory goes that PSV could simply wait for Dest to enter the final six months of his deal with Barça on January 1, 2025. At that point, they could offer Dest a contract that would begin immediately upon the end of his time with Barcelona.

Doing so would allow PSV to bring Dest in without shelling out the €10 million fee, but that approach is not without risk. ESPN has reported that Ajax is also interested in Dest, while his performance with PSV has surely caught the eye of clubs across Europe.

Any club can offer Dest a pre-contract at the same time PSV reportedly intends to, opening the door to the USMNT man making his return elsewhere.

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USWNT prospect Yohannes still undecided on international future

The 16-year-old midfielder has a big international future — but which country will she be representing?

U.S. women’s national team prospect Lily Yohannes has said she is still undecided over her international future as she draws closer to gaining Dutch citizenship.

Yohannes, 16, became the youngest USWNT call-up since 2017 when she was named to the SheBelieves Cup roster in March, though she did not play in either match.

The Ajax midfielder has marked herself as one of the top prospects in Europe this season, becoming a regular starter for the Champions League quarterfinalists.

Her performances have set off widespread speculation over her international future. Yohannes was born in Virginia and moved to the Netherlands with her family when she was 10 years old.

Though she isn’t yet eligible for the Netherlands, Yohannes has been in camp with Dutch youth national teams and will likely gain her citizenship soon. In February, Netherlands head coach Andries Jonker claimed that Yohannes wanted to play for the Dutch national team when she became a citizen.

In an episode of the Friendlies podcast with ex-USWNT star Sam Mewis, Yohannes said that despite accepting a recent call-up for the USA, she is still open when it comes to her international future.

“I haven’t made a decision on my international future yet,” Yohannes said. “But I think [the USWNT camp] was just a great opportunity to see the environment, and help me make that decision in the future.”

Watch Yohannes address international future

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Lily Yohannes, 16, becomes youngest USWNT call-up since 2017

The Ajax teenager has become one of the top midfield prospects in Europe

Ajax midfielder Lily Yohannes, 16, has been named to the U.S. women’s national team roster for the SheBelieves Cup.

Yohannes becomes the youngest USWNT call-up since 2017, when a 16-year-old Sophia Smith was named to the team’s roster for a pair of friendlies against Russia.

Yohannes has become a regular starter for Ajax this season, making history as the youngest player to ever start a UEFA Women’s Champions League match, and the youngest American to ever play in the UEFA Champions League — men’s or women’s.

“We’ve been following her for quite a long time,” USWNT head coach Twila Kilgore told the media after the roster was released. “She’s played many, many games at Ajax, including Champions League games, which I think the public is more familiar with but we’re also able to follow along in the league.”

“Lily is somebody that can play the six, eight or 10,” Kilgore added. “She does for her club. And while we look to deepen the player pool with those that can play in a variety of different roles within the midfield positions, she’s somebody that comes to mind. We had the space and availability in camp to bring her in, and this was the right time to do so.”

(Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

The teenager’s international future has become a topic of much discussion in recent months. Yohannes was born in Virginia, and moved to the Netherlands with her family when she was 10 years old. In February, Netherlands head coach Andries Jonker claimed that Yohannes wanted to play for the Dutch national team when she became a citizen.

Yohannes has been called into camps with the U.S. at the U-15 and U-16 level, and also attended a Netherlands U-19 camp this year as a guest player.

With the midfielder not yet eligible for the Netherlands, she has now taken a big step toward a future with the country of her birth — though she will still remain eligible for both countries after the SheBelieves Cup.

FIFA rules allow players to file a one-time switch to a new country if they have played no more than three competitive matches at senior level prior to turning 21. Pro Soccer Wire has confirmed that SheBelieves Cup games do not count as competitive matches for the purposes of FIFA’s rules.

Kilgore noted that while Yohannes wasn’t yet eligible to play for the Netherlands, accepting a call from the USWNT was a positive step toward securing her long-term international future.

“I think we offered Lily an invitation to this camp and she accepted and that’s a pretty big statement,” Kilgore said. “I think that she’s prepared to come in and do whatever is asked of her.”

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Future USWNT boss Hayes won’t recruit Yohannes during Chelsea-Ajax tie

The 16-year-old midfielder is in high demand thanks to her emergence with Ajax

Emma Hayes has said she won’t try to sway Lily Yohannes toward the U.S. women’s national team when Chelsea meets Ajax in the UEFA Women’s Champions League quarterfinals.

Yohannes has won a starting role with Ajax at just 16 years old, marking herself as a potential future superstar for club and country.

Which country the midfielder represents, though, is an open question at this point. Yohannes was born in Virginia and moved to the Netherlands in 2017 at age 10. Though she is not yet a Dutch citizen, Netherlands manager Andries Jonker has claimed the teenager would like to play for the Dutch in the future.

That could be an alarming prospect for Hayes, who will finish out the current season as Chelsea head coach before taking over the USWNT in May.

Though Hayes was full of praise for Yohannes ahead of Tuesday’s quarterfinal first leg, the coach said she won’t use the meeting as a recruiting opportunity.

“There’s no denying Lily has tremendous talent, and to play for a top European team at the age of 16 in the center midfield position just shows how much faith the coaching team has in her,” Hayes said in a press conference.

“Her final pass is exceptional. She’s got the ability, especially in tight areas she can get out of pressure really well. But her vision, the quality of her execution is really, really high. Sometimes I don’t believe she’s 16 years of age because she plays with such maturity, but a wonderful talent.”

Asked if she would aim to convince the midfielder to pick the USWNT, Hayes responded: “No, absolutely not. I’m here for Chelsea and I don’t influence those things at this time. Whatever she decides in her future that’s for her and her family to decide.

“Tomorrow she’s on the other team and I’m more interested in how we’re going to stop her, to be honest.”

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Gimenez completes 47-hour hat trick vs. Ajax

The Mexico international completed one of the strangest hat tricks you’ll ever see

Feyenoord striker Santiago Giménez completed one of the strangest hat tricks you’ll ever see on Wednesday, with his third goal against Ajax coming three days after his second.

Giménez netted a pair of goals on Sunday as the Eredivisie champions raced into a 3-0 lead at the Johan Cruyff Arena.

Ajax fans were not happy with their side’s insipid display, showing their displeasure by launching missiles, flares and fireworks onto the pitch. The game was suspended in the 56th minute, and eventually abandoned due to the unplayable conditions on the field.

The trouble continued outside the stadium in Amsterdam, as riot police charged at unruly fans.

After the mess on Sunday, the Eredivisie opted to resume the match on Wednesday behind closed doors at Johan Cruyff Arena. Just three minutes after the game restarted, Giménez scored his third of the game by putting home a rebound.

The Mexico international thus completed the rarely seen 47-hour hat trick.

After helping Feyenoord to a league title last season, Giménez has started the current campaign in red-hot form. The 22-year-old’s hat trick against Ajax took him to nine goals in just six league games. It also made him the first Feyenoord player to score a hat trick in an Eredivisie away game at Ajax.

As for Ajax, defeat continues a disastrous season. The Dutch power is currently 14th out of 18 teams in the league and recently fired technical director Sven Mislintat. There is plenty of speculation that head coach Maurice Steijn could be next.

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Ajax Women scored the dumbest and greatest goal of the season

Truly, one of the dumbest/greatest goals we’ll see all season

It’s early in the season, but we may not see a more ridiculous goal than Ajax Women scored in its game at Excelsior on Friday night.

The scene: Ajax is up 2-1 late in the game and is awarded a free kick just outside the box. Looking to wrap up the match and secure a hat trick, Ajax forward Romée Leuchter stands over the ball.

The Netherlands international hit her free kick with real conviction, but it smacked off the crossbar and bounced high into the air.

Excelsior goalkeeper Isa Pothof, convinced the ball had gone over, grabbed another ball at the top of the net to take the ensuing goal kick.

But!

Leuchter’s free kick had not, in fact, gone over. As Pothof was preparing to put the second ball into play, the first ball bounced off the ground and into the roof of the net.

Truly, one of the dumbest/greatest goals we’ll see all season.

Watch Leuchter’s goal for Ajax

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Dutch federation to abandon matches over fan trouble after Klaassen struck by lighter

It’s been an ugly year in the stands for Dutch soccer

The KNVB has had it with unruly supporters.

The Dutch soccer federation had to face down yet another example of terrible fan behavior after Davy Klaassen was left bleeding after being hit by a lighter thrown by a Feyenoord supporter in Ajax’s 2-1 KNVB Cup semifinal win on Wednesday. Klaassen initially tried to play on after the incident, but eventually asked for a substitution.

The BBC reported that Dutch police had arrested a man in connection to the incident, along with 21 other fans who attended a match that had already been marred by anti-Semitic chants and smoke bombs that delayed kickoff at De Kuip.

For the federation, this latest incident was apparently a red line. The KNVB issued a statement on Thursday announcing new guidelines for referees to deal with crowd trouble at Dutch matches. In essence, the guidelines will make it much more likely that referees abandon matches should conditions become unsafe.

“With these steps, potential perpetrators will hopefully no longer dream of attacking the main players on the field,” read the KNVB statement. “We’re done with that.”

The new regulations specifically address objects being thrown on the field, and supporters entering the field. For objects, whether they’re as dangerous as the lighter that hit Klaassen or not, the KNVB says referees must stop play and direct the teams off the pitch for a spell.

If play resumes and more objects are thrown onto the field, referees are to abandon the game immediately. That’s also what they’re to do if an object strikes a player, even if it’s the first object thrown from the stands.

With supporters entering the field, the rules are the same. One fan coming onto the pitch means stopping the game temporarily, while a second means abandoning the match. If, as happened when a PSV fan tried to punch Sevilla’s Marko Dmitrović in the Europa League, a supporter attempts to attack a player, the match will be abandoned on the spot.

KNVB not alone in taking action

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte decried the Klaassen incident as “intolerable,” with a government investigation apparently being considered. For their part, Feyenoord said they will close the section of De Kuip that the lighter was thrown from for their Europa League quarterfinal against Roma on April 13.

The situation over that match was already tense. Per Reuters, Italian authorities had banned Dutch fans from attending the second leg at the Stadio Olimpico over damage done to the historic Fontana della Barcaccia when Feyenoord last faced Roma back in 2015. UEFA issued a corresponding edict to ban Italian fans from attending the first leg at De Kuip.

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Taylor Booth’s time has arrived

The 21-year-old looks destined for a major transfer this summer

Taylor Booth’s rapid rise was solidified this week by a pair of reports from two major Dutch publications.

According to VI: “The chance that Taylor Booth will still play for FC Utrecht after this summer is small,” with top Dutch clubs as well as teams from Spain and England interested in the 21-year-old American.

The report added that Utrecht will expect to break its record for an outbound transfer, which is currently €8.4 million.

Meanwhile, De Telegraaf said that Ajax and PSV are keen on bringing Booth in this summer.

For a player who had very little first-team minutes before this season, Booth’s rise has come as somewhat of a surprise. But watching his combination of skill, confidence and vision, you’d be forgiven for thinking the midfielder had years of experience under his belt.

The Utah native came up through Bayern Munich’s academy but only managed one first-team appearance in his time with the German giants. His other senior minutes came in a loan at Austrian side St. Pölten two seasons ago.

After joining Utrecht last summer on a free transfer from Bayern, Booth initially began this season rotating between the club’s first team and reserve side.

By November, though, Booth was not only an every-game starter for Utrecht, he was even named the Eredivisie player of the month.

Now, Booth’s U.S. national team debut seems a matter of when, not if. VI says he is on the USMNT’s provisional roster for CONCACAF Nations League matches later this month.

If Booth is called in, the U.S. would be wise to get him on the pitch at some point in those two games to cap-tie him — he does, after all, hold an Italian passport, too.

Booth being stuck in an international tug-of-war between the U.S. and Italy may seem a little far fetched, but if his current trajectory continues then it may not be the craziest thing imaginable.

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Kudus pays tribute to Atsu — and referee lets him off without a yellow

“This is beyond football. We are talking about life and death”

Mohammed Kudus scored a free kick for Ajax against Sparta Rotterdam on Sunday, and proceeded to celebrate by lifting his jersey over his head.

According to the laws of the game, that would necessitate an automatic yellow card. But this wasn’t an ordinary celebration, and referee Pol van Boekel knew it.

Kudus scored late in Ajax’s 4-0 win and revealed a shirt with the message “R.I.P. Atsu” — a tribute to Christian Atsu, who was found dead under the rubble in the aftermath of the devastating earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria earlier this month.

After a 12-day search, Atsu’s body was finally found on Saturday, the day before Ajax took the pitch.

Speaking to ESPN after the game, Kudus said that Van Boekel allowed his tribute to go unpunished because the message went beyond sport.

“We all know what’s going on in Turkey and that part of the world,” the 22-year-old said. “Atsu was the one close to me but I dedicate that goal to him and everyone who had families and all the people involved in the Turkey earthquakes.

“We are footballers but this is beyond football. We are talking about life and death. The ref told me this is not allowed but he understands because this is a bigger situation than just playing football.

“A big respect from me to the referee for understanding the whole situation.”

Kudus said that his fellow Ghanaian had served as a mentor to him.

“I learned a lot from watching him, he also regularly gave me advice. Everything I gave today was for him.

“If I hadn’t have scored, I would have shown the shirt after the game.”

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