Full details as rapidly-rising Leeds United star Pascal Struijk signs new long-term Whites deal

Ahead of Wednesday evening’s final mid-season friendly at home to AS Monaco, the 23-year-old has extended his contract for a further four and a half years until the summer of 2027.

Struijk signed for the Whites in January 2018 from Dutch giants Ajax where he had progressed through the club's Academy. The Belgian-born defender joined Leeds having been capped for the Netherlands at under-17s level and quickly began impressing for United's under-23s before breaking into United's first team.

Nearly five years after his arrival, Struijk has now amassed 79 appearances for the Whites, scoring three times. The 23-year-old has been deployed as both a centre-back and holding midfielder but has recently been fielded as United's first choice left back.Struijk, whose previous deal at Leeds expired in the summer of ‘24, made boss Louis van Gaal's provisional 39-man Netherlands squad for the 2022 Qatar World Cup before it was reduced. The defender, who started off at ADO Den Haag, qualifies to play for Belgium, Netherlands and Indonesia.

A statement from Leeds United read: “The club are pleased to secure Pascal’s future, meaning he will continue to help the side throughout the rest of this season when it gets back underway after Christmas and then over the coming years at Elland Road.”