Tragic news for young Ajax star

After collapsing during a friendly match on Saturday, 20-year-old Ajax midfielder Abdelhak Nouri has suffered "serious and permanent brain damage", with the Dutch giants explaining that he has no chance of recovery. 

Local player Nouri was the latest youngster to emerge from the Ajax youth system and was also rising up through the age groups of the Netherlands national squad. Highly rated, the midfielder made fifteen appearances for the Eredivisie club in all competitions last season.

Ajax were in Austria taking on Werder Bremen when Nouri collapsed due to cardiac arrhythmias, which was explained by doctors as heart rhythm problems. 

Following tests in an Austrian hospital, it was announced by the club that "The diagnosis was made that a lot of his brain is not functioning. All this probably occurred due to a lack of oxygen supply."

Former Manchester United goalkeeper, Edwin van der Sar, who is now Ajax CEO sadly stated "Abdelhak is such a great talent, but unfortunately we will never know how far his star would have reached had this not happened. "

Fellow Dutch stars Robin van Persie, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Georginio Wijnaldum were amongst those to send their best wishes to Nouri via social media.