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Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Ryan Yang Leijten[1] | ||
Date of birth | 18 September 2003 | ||
Place of birth | 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands | ||
Height | 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)[2] | ||
Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Roda JC | ||
Number | 20 | ||
Youth career | |||
RKSV Boxtel | |||
–2014 | Willem II/RKC | ||
2014–2017 | Brabant United | ||
2017–2021 | Den Bosch | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2021–2024 | Den Bosch | 84 | (7) |
2024– | Roda JC | 9 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 09:50, 2 November 2024 (UTC) |
Ryan Leijten | |||||||
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Simplified Chinese | 杨瑞安·赖腾 | ||||||
Traditional Chinese | 楊瑞安·賴騰 | ||||||
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Ryan Yang Leijten (Chinese: 杨瑞安·赖腾; pinyin: Yáng Ruì'ān Lài Téng; born 18 September 2003) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Eerste Divisie club Roda JC.
Leijten was born in 2003 in 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands, to a Dutch father and Chinese mother.[3] He grew up in nearby Boxtel.[4]
Leijten progressed through the youth systems of RKSV Boxtel, the joint Willem II and RKC Waalwijk academy, and Brabant United, the joint academy of FC Den Bosch and RKC Waalwijk. In September 2020, he underwent a ten-day trial with Serie A club Napoli, though it did not result in a contract.[3]
He made his professional debut for Den Bosch on 12 May 2021, in a 3–1 away loss to MVV. Leijten was included in the squad as a youth player due to the absence of seventeen first-team players, ten of whom were sidelined following positive COVID-19 tests.[5] He entered the match as an 85th-minute substitute for Stan Maas.[6] On 6 August 2021, during his starting debut in a home match against Helmond Sport, Leijten scored his first professional goal, converting a corner kick from Sebastiaan van Bakel in the 64th minute to make it 1–0.[7] On 18 September 2021, Leijten signed a three-year contract on his eighteenth birthday.[8][4]
Leijten made 86 total appearances for Den Bosch, in which he scored seven goals.[2] He left the club at the end of the 2023–24 season, as his contract was not extended.
On 9 August 2024, Leijten signed a three-year contract with Roda JC.[9] He made his debut for the club on 12 August, coming on for Joshua Schwirten in the 63rd minute of the season's opening fixture against Jong AZ, which ended in a heavy 6–1 defeat.[10][11]
Leijten mainly operates as a midfielder and has been compared to Germany international Kai Havertz.[12]
Leijten can speak Chinese and Dutch.[13]
Club | Season | League | Cup | Other | Total | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Den Bosch | 2020–21 | Eerste Divisie | 1 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||
2021–22 | Eerste Divisie | 32 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | 32 | 3 | ||
2022–23 | Eerste Divisie | 30 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | 31 | 3 | ||
2023–24 | Eerste Divisie | 21 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 22 | 1 | ||
Total | 84 | 7 | 2 | 0 | — | 86 | 7 | |||
Roda JC | 2024–25 | Eerste Divisie | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 10 | 0 | |
Career total | 93 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 96 | 7 |