Man Utd snubbed by Eredivisie starlet
Milan Keskin
- Updated: 14 Nov 2023 16:30 GMT
- 3 min read
Eredivisie side AZ have extended the contract of Jayden Addai until the summer of 2028.
The 18-year-old attacker has impressed for the club's U21 side, Jong AZ, this season in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie, the second division of Dutch football. Having already scored nine times this term, Addai found himself on the radar of Manchester United but now prefers a longer stay in Alkmaar over the Premier League.
"I'm feeling good," says Addai about his current form. "I had a few bad moments due to injuries, but I came back well. In addition to the matches, I have also started paying more attention to the little things off the field."
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"That is one of the reasons that I have grown fast in recent seasons. I worked really hard this summer to get to the AZ first team. I managed to train with them for a few weeks and I feel like I left a good impression.”
Addai developing well
Despite the fact that the winger left a good impression, he still mainly gets his minutes in the second tier. “Now it is important that I join [the senior squad] permanently,” Addai told the club website. “That is the level where I want to show it. My goal is to get competitive minutes in the Eredivisie before the winter break."
Director of Football Affairs Max Huiberts was delighted with Addai's decision to spurn high-profile interest to remain in Alkmaar. "Jayden is undergoing enormous development. He is high on the top scorers list in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie, which is very special for a boy who is playing regularly for Jong AZ for the first time this year."
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"Jayden is a boy with a promising future...it won't be long before he joins [the first team]. He is extremely ambitious and likes to take quick steps, but he also knows that this has to be done gradually. He is working hard on that at the moment."
