Our ranking of the top 30 Dutch U20 talents continues with numbers 15 to 11. Find out who just missed out on the top 10.
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15. Ernest Poku
19-years-old – AZ Alkmaar – Winger
A winger with pace to burn, Ernest Poku has broken into the AZ Alkmaar first team this season along with the Netherlands U21s.
Poku was a key part of the AZ side that won the UEFA Youth League last season, scoring eight goals including two in the final. The winger has been prolific in youth football with his pace, trickery, and direct style of play causing mayhem for opponents.
Pascal Jansen has promoted Poku to the AZ first team this season but we are yet to see the best of him, which is why he is not higher up this list. There has been criticism that Poku is not yet physically ready for first-team football and the statistics don’t lie with zero goals scored in 16 games this season.
Poku is a player with immense potential but needs time before he is ready to take the Eredivisie by storm.
14. Tygo Land
17-years-old – PSV Eindhoven – Midfielder
A player that has everyone in Eindhoven very excited, Tygo Land has already made his first team debut at PSV, who snapped him up from Heerenveen’s academy a year ago.
Land is a silky midfielder who loves to dribble with the ball from deep and has excellent vision. His style of play has already seen him compared to Frenkie de Jong and it’s not hard to see why when you watch him.
Land is currently a member of the PSV first-team squad but plays most of his matches in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie. He is also a Netherlands U19 international.
PSV fans cannot wait to see more of Land in the first team and there is an expectation that he will step up next season. Then it can go quickly for a player who looks on the cusp of making a big breakthrough.
13. Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduro
19-years-old – AZ Alkmaar – Goalkeeper
The only goalkeeper on the list, Owusu-Oduro has the potential to be the best stopper that the Netherlands have produced in several years.
The 19-year-old was exceptional as AZ Alkmaar won the UEFA Youth League last season and he has since made his first-team debut due to an injury to Mathew Ryan. With AZ’s number one advancing in age, it is expected that it will not be long before Owusu-Oduro is first team goalkeeper permanently.
A tall, strong goalkeeper with excellent reflexes, Owusu-Oduro is comfortable with the ball at his feet. All the attributes to be an excellent modern goalkeeper.
12. Gabriel Misehouy
18-years-old – Ajax – Attacking midfielder
A brilliantly talented attacking midfielder, Misehouy is one of the gems in the Ajax academy at the moment but there is a sense of disbelief at the fact that he has not yet made his first team debut.
Misehouy can play on the wing but prefers to play as a 10 where he can dictate play with his dribbling, pace, and vision. He is also a cool finisher and has five goals in only ten appearances for Jong Ajax this season.
Ajax has a problem at the moment with Misehouy yet to sign a new deal and he could depart the club in the summer with Manchester City circling. A lack of first-team chances is currently holding Misehouy back from committing his future to Amsterdam. He has put cryptic posts on Instagram which have fueled speculation that he is unhappy at some players getting chances ahead of him.
In the second half of the season, Misehouy will be hoping to finally make his debut as it is clear that he is too good for the Keuken Kampioen Divisie at the moment. Ajax needs to realise that Misehouy is a player that they cannot allow to get away.
11. Kees Smit
17-years-old – AZ Alkmaar – Midfielder
Another product of the excellent AZ Alkmaar academy and one of the key reasons behind the UEFA Youth League success last season.
Smit is a versatile midfielder who has been used as a DM, 8, and 10 over the past year, excelling in each role. He is exceptionally calm on the ball and has a footballing IQ much higher than his age would suggest.
Smit likes to pick up the ball from deep and break the lines with a pass or dribble, while he also likes to take a shot from distance, showcased by a halfway line goal scored in the Youth League against Barcelona. Smit also went viral for a goal scored in an indoor five-a-side tournament last year that showed his wonderful close control and intelligence.
At the moment, Smit is still with the Netherlands U17 squad and is making minutes for Jong AZ in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie. A first team debut has not yet happened but Smit looks primed to be a key player in the AZ midfield for years to come.
Great article about the Dutch talents. Thanks