Our ranking of the top 30 Dutch U20 talents has reached the top ten. Read all about the talents placed 10-6 below.

10. Jason van Duiven

18-years-old – PSV Eindhoven – Striker

Some great strikers have worn the famous red and white of PSV Eindhoven over the years, and one hoping to become the starting nine from the club’s academy is Jason van Duiven.

Prolific for the U17s, Van Duiven has been outstanding since making the step up to Jong PSV in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie. Despite his age, Van Duiven has scored 21 times in the Dutch second tier in 48 appearances. He was also the top scorer for the PSV side that won the Premier League international cup last season with five goals.

An ice-cold finisher Van Duiven is not the tallest but he uses his strength, pace, and positional sense to get the better of defences. He comes alive in the penalty area but Van Duiven is also a scorer of exceptional goals, whether it be free kicks or lobs from distance.

He is waiting for his first-team debut but has appeared on the bench this season. Peter Bosz has Luuk de Jong and Ricardo Pepi ahead of him in the pecking order, but Van Duiven is ready to step in when required.

9. Wouter Goes

19-years-old – AZ Alkmaar – Centre-back

It has been a wonderful 12 months for Wouter Goes, who captained AZ to the UEFA Youth League title while also debuting in the club’s first team.

A strong ball-playing centre-back, Goes is a natural leader and he has shown exceptional maturity when given a chance by Pascal Jansen so far. He already has 16 first-team appearances under his belt and is currently the captain of Jong AZ.

Goes is aggressive in his pursuit of the ball and shows similarities to Sven Botman and Matthijs de Ligt in the way he plays. He has an exceptional future ahead of him and will soon be an undisputed starter in the AZ first team.

8. Ruben van Bommel

19-years-old – AZ Alkmaar – Winger

The son of Netherlands legend Mark van Bommel, Ruben has made a big impression over the past year after starring for MVV Maastricht in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie.

Van Bommel was unstoppable in the second tier, scoring 15 times, which led to AZ Alkmaar swooping to take him to the Eredivisie. He has been a regular for Pascal Jansen so far this season, scoring five times in 21 games so far.

A direct and swift winger, who likes to cut in on his right foot, Van Bommel still has areas of his game to work on but the potential to be a top-quality forward is there. Van Bommel’s style of play and stature have seen him compared to Angel Di Maria in the Dutch press, while he is reminiscent of Cody Gakpo at times.

AZ Alkmaar’s form this season has not been great and Van Bommel has a lot more to offer in the coming months. If he can reach his huge potential, then a debut in the Netherlands squad won’t be too far off.

7. Silvano Vos

18-years-old – Ajax – Midfielder

One of the bright spots of a difficult campaign for Ajax has been the emergence of Silvano Vos into the first team.

A star for the club and the Netherlands at youth level, Vos could not be ignored anymore and was thrust into the first team this season, making nine appearances so far. Frustratingly, an injury has ruled Vos out since November but when he returns, a place in the first-team squad is assured.

Capable of playing as a DM or an 8, Vos covers a lot of ground on the pitch and wins a lot of duels with his strength and awareness. On the ball, Vos is a strong dribbler and can break the lines with ease, much like Ryan Gravenberch did when in Amsterdam.

Not many decisions have gone right in Amsterdam this season but the decision to promote Vos to the first team has been one of them. Along with Jorrel Hato and Gabriel Misehouy, Vos can form the spine of the new Ajax for years to come.

6. Julian Rijkhoff

18-years-old – Borussia Dortmund – Striker

An absolute goal machine at the youth level, Julian Rijkhoff has made a name for himself in Dortmund but now could be seeking first-team football elsewhere.

Rijkhoff was seen as a new Patrick Kluivert when coming through the Ajax academy but then decided to leave and join Borussia Dortmund in 2021. Rijkhoff has since been unstoppable at U19 level, scoring 52 times in 57 games, plus 13 times more in the UEFA Youth League.

The striker has made minutes and scored during pre-season for Borussia Dortmund’s first team but as of yet, he has not made his official debut.

Rijkhoff is a deadly finisher with either foot and his head, has plenty of pace, can hold up the ball, and can also be used as a shadow striker. He seems to have it all to be an exceptional striker but until he makes the step up fully to first-team football, we will not know for sure if he can reach his potential.

This January, Ajax wants to bring Rijkhoff back to Amsterdam and a move away from Germany may be the best idea for Rijkhoff to make his full breakthrough. If he does successfully make the step up, then Rijkhoff can be the starting striker for the Netherlands for years to come.




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