Wesley Sneijder contract extended until summer of 2007

22 May: Ajax 'rookie' Wesley Sneijder (18) has signed a new contract, thereby committing himself to Ajax until the summer of 2007. The Utrecht-born midfielder won his new contract by developing in spectacular style since his Ajax-1 début on 02 February of this year.

Ajax's technical director, Leo Beenhakker, was a happy man as the ink on Sneijder's new contract was drying. "Wesley Sneijder is yet another major talent from our own youth ranks. It is fantastic for the club that we've been able to tie him to us until 2007. In the past it sometimes seemed as if Ajax was developing players for foreign clubs. However, the football market has changed dramatically, so that Ajax now manages to keep its talents. This is a very positive development."

Wesley Sneijder has played for the Ajax youth since the age of seven. He was soon regarded as one of the most precious secret gems of De Toekomst. Last season he was officially a member of Danny Blind's Ajax A1 youth team, but he played many games for the reserves team, Young Ajax, as well. He ended up winning the Dutch championship with both Ajax A1 and Young Ajax and was voted 'Best Player of the National A-Youth Eredivisie'.

He officially joined Young Ajax at the start of the current season, but got promoted to the first squad only six months later, during the winter break. He made his first team début in the away game at Willem II (02 February), his Young Oranje (U-21) début followed on 28 March. Only one month later, on 30 April, he played his first minutes in Dick Advocaat's Holland team, in a friendly against Portugal.

So far, Sneijder played fifteen Eredivisie games for Ajax in which he scored four goals. He also played four games in the Champions League, including the quarter final against AC Milan.

Ajax has offered several players from the talented new crop a new contract this season. Earlier players such as Rafaël van der Vaart, Maarten Stekelenburg and Nigel de Jong signed new contracts. (MP)

(Source: Ajax.nl)