Dutch club Ajax sign American midfielder Alex Mendez from Bundesliga side Freiburg on three-year contract

Midfielder Alex Mendez, among the top American players at this year’s Under-20 World Cup, has transferred to the Dutch club Ajax from Germany’s Freiburg. [caption id=“attachment_7087821” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Alex Mendez poses after signing for Ajax. Twitter: @AlexMendez[/caption] Ajax said Tuesday the 18-year-old from Los Angeles had agreed to a three-year contract. Mendez was with the second-tier LA Galaxy II in 2017 and left last October for Freiburg but did not get into a match. He scored both goals last 21 November to lead the US over Mexico in the CONCACAF Under-20 Championship final and was selected the US Soccer Federation young male player of the year. He had a pair of assists at the Under-20 World Cup, starting four of five matches and missing one because of a suspension for yellow-card accumulation. Sergiño Dest, an 18-year-old defender on this year’s US Under-20 team, made his Ajax debut in the Dutch Super Cup win over PSV Eindhoven.