Ajax has offered Marouane Bentaleb his first contract, the club has announced via its official channels. The 16-year-old defender and midfielder will therefore remain at the Johan Cruijff ArenA until mid-2029.
“Marouane is a modern defender who can also play in midfield. He is very composed on the ball and has a good feel for the game,” says Beuker on the club’s channels.
“He dares to defend high up the pitch and therefore often opts for the forward option,” continues the director of football. Rotterdam-born Bentaleb has been playing in Ajax’s youth academy since 2024, having joined from Sparta.
At Ajax, Bentaleb is captain of the Under-17s, the team led by coach Stan Bijl. That youth side will play in the fourteenth edition of the Olympia Future Cup on 4, 5 and 6 April.
“As captain of the U17s, he has also developed into a leading player and is making an impact both on and off the pitch, a quality that should not be underestimated,” Beuker praises the youngster.
Bentaleb is a Moroccan youth international. He has played three matches for the North African country’s Under-17s. Previously, he also represented Morocco’s Under-15s.
"We are confident that he will continue on this path and develop further towards professional football," concludes Beuker.
Ky-an Martis
Later in the day, the Amsterdam club also announced that Ky-an Martis had been signed. The fifteen-year-old defender and Dutch youth international also joined from Sparta. Beuker: "Ky-an has developed well in the U16s and displays the qualities we look for in a defender within our style of play."
"Ky-an is physically strong, comfortable on the ball and capable of making the right decisions on the pitch, which allows him to exploit spaces in our build-up play through his passing and dribbling. We are confident that he will continue to develop within our academy over the coming years and look forward to seeing his next steps at Ajax."