Pascal Struijk signs new Leeds United contract to tie versatile defender down until 2027

The 23-year-old is a centre-back by trade but his versatility has been important throughout his Elland Road career, never more so than this season.

With the club's only specialist left-back Junior Firpo dogged by injuries and with Stuart Dallas recovering from a broken leg, Struijk has been a regular on the left of a back four.

He has missed only one Premier League game this season, at Elland Road – starting at left-back each time. Coach Jesse Marsch uses him in such a way that when Leeds attack, he becomes part of a back three.

Under previous coach Marcelo Bielsa, Struijk was often used as a holding midfielder.

The Belgian-born player grew up in the Netherlands and played youth football for Den Haag and Ajax before moving to Leeds in January 2018. He made his senior Whites debut in December 2019 but made only two starts that season, in the final two matches of the campaign.

With Ben White's loan from Brighton and Hove Albion expiring in the summer, he cemented himself in the side as Leeds returned to the Premier League after 16 years away.

Earlier this season he made the decision to represent the Netherlands – who he had played junior football for – rather than the country of his birth or Indonesia, who he also qualifies for.

Despite being named in a provisional 39-man squad, he was overlooked for the Qatar World Cup squad, and is still awaiting his first cap.