Leeds United sign teenage Dutch goalkeeper

LEEDS UNITED have added to their roster of young up-and-coming players with the acquisition of Ajax Amsterdam goalkeeper Dani van den Heuvel.
Leeds Unted signing Dani van den Heuvel.Leeds Unted signing Dani van den Heuvel.
Leeds Unted signing Dani van den Heuvel.

The 17-year-old has penned a three-year deal at Elland Road after switching from the Eredivisie outfit – turning down the chance to remain in Amsterdam.

Van den Heuvel joined the Dutch giants in 2017 after moving from ADO Den Haag and he has won caps for the Netherlands at youth level.

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The signing of Van den Heuvel follows on from the signings of Charlie Allen, Cody Drameh and Joe Gelhardt, with the quartet to all initially link up with the club’s Under-23 side.

Highly-rated attacking midfielder Allen, 16, who became Linfield’s youngest ever player when he made a debut aged just 15, recently joined Leeds for an undisclosed fee, signing a three-year deal.

Full-back Drameh joined from Fulham for an undisclosed fee and signed a four-year deal until the summer of 2024. The 18-year-old featured three times for Fulham’s Under-21s side in the EFL Trophy last term.

Gelhardt also penned a four-year deal after linking up with the club from Wigan, with the 18-year-old making 19 appearances in the Championship last term. He has also represented England up to Under-18 level.

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United Under-21s will face Red Rose opposition in the EFL Trophy after being drawn alongside Blackpool, league newcomers Barrow and Accrington in the group stages of the competition.

United will compete in Group G following the draw on Tuesday afternoon. Fixtures are scheduled to begin on September 8 and 9.

As an ‘invited club’, Leeds must play all their fixtures away from home.

Leicester City Under-21s are the invited club in the group containing Harrogate Town, recently promoted to the Football League for the first time, Hull City and Grimsby in Group H.

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The Tigers have not competed in the competition since 2004-05.

Bradford City and Doncaster Rovers will feature in Group F alongside Oldham and Wolves Under-21s, who are the invited group in that particular quartet.

The EFL Trophy is split into northern and southern sections with invited clubs joining League One and Two clubs in one of eight groups. The top two clubs from each group progress to a final 32 in a knock-out format.

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