Mohamed Abdalla has drawn attention with his performance for Jong Ajax. The sixteen-year-old midfielder played a key role in Monday's 1-1 draw against Jong PSV, which according to FCUpdate.nl led to enthusiastic reactions on social media.
Abdalla, who has been under contract at Ajax since the summer of 2024, joined from PSV in 2024 for a modest training compensation fee. He made his first-team debut last July in a Conference League match against FK Vojvodina and scored immediately. Head coach Míchel has included him in the match squad twice since, but for now his playing time remains primarily with Jong Ajax.
How did Abdalla perform against Jong PSV?
In the Keuken Kampioen Divisie, Abdalla formed the midfield alongside Mark Verkuijl. In the first half, he produced an impressive move. Starting from his own half, he dribbled through the centre, passed two opponents and set up Emre Ünüvar with a through pass, leaving him one-on-one with the goalkeeper. Ünüvar could not convert the chance. Later in the match, the Dutch youth international, who also holds Sudanese nationality, showed his quality on several more occasions.
The reactions on platform X were full of praise. One viewer wrote: "He already seems a few steps ahead of the rest of the field." Another called him an "exceptional category talent just like Ouazane" and hoped for playing time in the first team. Yet another user compared him to Jude Bellingham, describing him as "the lost brother of Bellingham".
What does this mean for his first-team chances?
A viewer on social media expects Abdalla could quickly become a competitor for summer signing Sofyan Amrabat. "Amrabat needs to make sure he delivers incredibly fast. Otherwise he'll be played out of the team before the winter break," the reaction stated. The young midfielder is known as one of the biggest prospects from the Ajax academy. His current contract details can be found on our squad page.
Ajax currently sits second in the Eredivisie, which you can follow on the standings page. The club has a busy schedule ahead, including an away match against FC Utrecht on Saturday, September 12th. The full overview of upcoming fixtures is available on our fixtures page.
What are the next steps on the agenda?
For Abdalla, the immediate focus is on Jong Ajax. His next chance to play is on Friday evening, when Jong Ajax travels to face FC Dordrecht in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie. The match kicks off at 8:00 PM. The plan is for him to continue his progression to Míchel's first team via this path.
