Jeffrey Sarpong

Ajax

Sarpong joined Ajax when he was just seven years of age, and signed his first contract in 2005. At the time Chelsea were interested in signing the player, but he decided to stay with Ajax. He made his Eredivisie debut on 5 February 2006 in the 3–2 away defeat against Feyenoord. Sarpong played in eight more league matches during the season. In addition he and his team won the KNVB Cup, but in the 2006–07 season he did not play a single league match. In July 2007, Sarpong extended his contract, which kept him until 2011. However, the following season he became first-team regular under new coach Marco van Basten netting his first goal in a 2–2 away draw against no other than Feyenoord. A week later, on 2 October 2008, he scored again, in the first round of UEFA Cup; second leg, against Borac Čačak. The 2009–10 season was difficult for Sarpong to gain back his valuable first-team experience by being placed on a loan list. Having yet make his first league appearance for Ajax this season, Sarpong says he's very "eager" and "desperate" to make a return in the first team. On 31 December 2009, Ajax loaned the 21-year-old Dutch youth international to NEC until the end of the 2009–10 season. He made his debut for the club in a 2–1 win over Vitesse Arnhem. In the quarter-final of KNVB Beker, against his former club, Sarpong provided assist for the second goal for the club in a match, but was sent off after a second bookable offense, as NEC lost 3–2. Two months later, on 19…

Sarpong represented the Netherlands in the 2005 FIFA U-17 World Championship in Peru, where the team finished third. On 24 June 2009, the young midfielder swapped representing the Netherlands internationally for The Black Stars of Ghana. He maintain his desire to play for The Black Stars ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations.

As of 25 October 2011

He became the second Junior Dutch International to swap The Netherlands for Ghana after Quincy Owusu-Abeyie turned out for Holland at the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship. Sarpong was married on 24 May 2012. Sarpong leads the Dutch branch of a bible study for footballers called Ballers in God, which includes players such as Vicente Besuijen, Elson Hooi and Kingsley Ehizibue.