Jayden Candelaria signed his first professional contract with Feyenoord on Tuesday. The seventeen-year-old left wing defender is therefore stuck in Rotterdam until mid-2024. Candelaria made his unofficial debut in Feyenoord 1 a week and a half ago and will join the promise team next season, the club reports on Tuesday afternoon.
Candelaria switched from the youth of Sparta Rotterdam to Feyenoord in 2018. Last season he played in Feyenoord Under-17. Ten days ago, he took part as a substitute in the first of two practice matches against Werder Bremen (3-3): trainer Arne Slot had Candelaria come in for Ramon Hendriks fifteen minutes before the end. Two-time youth international Candelaria, who participated with the the Dutch Under-16 in the UEFA Development Tournament in Portugal at the beginning of last year, is happy with the confidence he receives from Feyenoord.
“It went quickly. I am young, just 17 years old, but I recently had the opportunity to make minutes in a Feyenoord 1 exhibition game. And now I am signing my first contract with my family. I hope to continue next season. develop and prove myself at Feyenoord,” Candelaria responds. Head of youth academy Rini Coolen is enthusiastic about the development of the youngster.
“Together with Jayden, we devised a plan in which the Under-18s would act as a springboard to Under-21 and beyond. However, in recent months he has developed so well that he is already ready to join the U23 squad one hundred percent says Coolen. “That drive is something we love to see, and we are convinced that Jayden can go far thanks to his perseverance.”
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