FC Utrecht pick up purchase option on young defender from Sassuolo

FC Utrecht have released a statement that confirms they have picked up the purchase option on young defender Ryan Flamingo. The former Almere City youth prospect moved to Italy to join Sassoulo in 2021 but returned to the Netherlands this season on loan at Utrecht. The Dutch U21 international has played 30 times in the Eredivisie this season, scoring twice and providing one assist. His contract with the club will run until 2027.

The defender, who can play centrally or a right-back, leaves Sassoulo having not made a senior appearance for the Serie A club. Instead, he spent most of his time at the club with the youth team or out on loan. During the 2021/2022 season, he scored an impressive 14 goals in 32 games in the Primavera 1 in Italy. Last year he was loaned out to Vitesse, making 34 appearances and scoring three goals.

Utrecht are currently seventh in the Eredivisie, just three points behind Ajax in fifth. They need just one more point to guarantee a place in the European play-offs.