Yuri Heerkens has suffered a major setback. The 19-year-old Jong Ajax goalkeeper injured his ankle during Monday evening’s away match against Vitesse and will not feature again this season, Ajax announced on the club’s website.
The keeper was forced to leave the pitch early in the match in Arnhem. After around twenty minutes, things went wrong during a goal kick, after which Heerkens was visibly in pain and unable to continue playing.
A day later, medical examinations brought bad news. The ankle injury appears to be so serious that surgery is necessary, bringing his season to an immediate end.
Heerkens has been first choice for Jong Ajax this season and has made nineteen appearances in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie.
In those matches, he conceded 31 goals and kept five clean sheets. With 1,639 minutes played, he was a key player in the team.
Heerkens made the move to Ajax last summer, with the club signing him from Sparta Prague for around two million euros. In Amsterdam, he signed a contract running until mid-2030.
The goalkeeper came through the youth ranks in the Czech Republic at clubs including Hradec Králové and Sparta Prague.