10 of the best Ajax academy products produced in the last decade

#6 Davy Klaassen

Davy Klaassen

The fifth member of that wonderfully talented squad of the 2011-12 season, Davy Klassen like Daley Blind joined the Academy at a very young age, aged 9 in 2004. The attacking midfielder though joined the Academy only after impressing the Dutch giants' scouts while playing for the youth ranks local amateur side HVV de Zebra's and later HSV Wasmeer.

The young Klassen made his professional debut 2011 in a UEFA Champions League match against Olympique Lyon and his first start the very same year in December against RKC Waalwijk. The attacking midfielder though had to wait for his next appearance as he found it hard to break into the midfield anchored by Christia Eriksen, making just 2 appearances in the next season.

The 2013-14 season saw Klaassen getting his big break as the midfielder was promoted after the departure of Christian Eriksen to Tottenham Hotspur. The breakthrough season saw Klaassen scoring 11 goals in 36 appearances for the Dutch giants.

Nicknamed "Cheese straw" or kaasstengel, Klaassen influence in the team grew year by year as the midfielder was given the No.10 jersey after the departure of Siem De Jong to the Premier League. The next season saw Klaassen being given the captain's armband after the departure of his present Werder Bremen teammate Niklas Moisander to Sampdoria.

Another season in the Netherlands was soon followed by a move to the Premier League as his former manager Roald Koeman, at the helm of Everton, came calling for the attacking midfielder.

Davy Klaassen's time at the Merseyside was rather painstaking as the attacking midfielder found it hard to break into the team after the sacking of Koeman and a poor string of performances. The newly appointed Sam Allardyce opted for a more defensive approach.

The time in England was soon forgotten as Klaassen made his move to the Bundesliga after Werder Bremen agreed on a fee for the Dutch international.

Davy Klaassen who now plays for Werder Bremen made 181 appearances for Ajax, scoring 55 goals and winning the 3 successive Eredivisie titles.

---

#7 Justin Kluivert

Big things are expected from the youngster

A name that is familiar in the pantheons of Dutch football, Justin Kluivert has very heavy shoes to fill in. The name Kluivert brings back memories of one of the best phases of Ajax football post-Johan Cruyff era. The striker, Justin's father, was one of the key members of the Ajax team that shook the world and won the Champions League in 1994 under the watchful eyes of now retired manager Louis Van Gaal.

Justin Kluivert was born to Ajax, Barcelona and the Netherlands legend Patrick Kluivert in 1999 and like his father came through the famous Ajax youth program. The young Kluivert made his professional debut in 2016, aged 17, in the reserve team of Ajax, Jong Ajax.

The promotion to the senior team soon followed as Ajax gave the 17-year-old his debut for the Dutch giants in the very next month against PEC Zwolle, coming off the bench.

The next season saw the teenager being given the role of the main striker as Kluivert opened his account in the league by scoring a hattrick, something that his father failed to do so during his time in the Dutch league.

After almost 11 years, 56 appearances and 13 goals for the Dutch giants young Justin Kluivert made his move south to join Italian side AS Roma for a fee in excess of €15 million following a call made by Italian and Giallorossi legend Francesco Totti to Justin Kluivert.

The season under the Giallorossi has so far not been rosy for the teenager, with seasoned campaigners like Edin Dzeko and Stephan El-Sharaawy higher above the pecking order along with the emergence of Niccolo Zaniolo.

A full Netherlands international, Justin Kluivert became the youngest ever player to score in the UEFA Champions League for Roma when he netted in the fourth goal against Viktoria Plzen in October.

The 19-year old has so far made 16 appearances for the Giallorossi and scored twice for them.