Ryan Leijten

Ryan Leijten
杨瑞安·赖腾
Personal information
Full name Ryan Yang Leijten
Date of birth (2003-09-18) 18 September 2003 (age 23)
Place of birth 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands
Height 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Lokomotiv Plovdiv
Number 11
Youth career
RKSV Boxtel
–2014 Willem II/RKC
2014–2017 Brabant United
2017–2021 Den Bosch
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021–2024 Den Bosch 84 (7)
2024–2026 Roda JC 34 (2)
2026– Lokomotiv Plovdiv 6 (1)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 20 September 2026
Ryan Leijten
Simplified Chinese杨瑞安·赖腾
Traditional Chinese楊瑞安·賴騰
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinYáng Ruì'ān Lài Téng

Ryan Yang Leijten (Chinese: 杨瑞安·赖腾; pinyin: Yáng Ruì'ān Lài Téng; born 18 September 2003) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Bulgarian First League club Lokomotiv Plovdiv.

Career

Den Bosch

Leijten was born in 2003 in 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands, to a Dutch father and Chinese mother. He grew up in nearby Boxtel.

Leijten progressed through the youth systems of RKSV Boxtel, the joint Willem II and RKC Waalwijk academy, and Brabant United, the joint academy of FC Den Bosch and RKC Waalwijk. In September 2020, he underwent a ten-day trial with Serie A club Napoli, though it did not result in a contract.

He made his professional debut for Den Bosch on 12 May 2021, in a 3–1 away loss to MVV. Leijten was included in the squad as a youth player due to the absence of seventeen first-team players, ten of whom were sidelined following positive COVID-19 tests. He entered the match as an 85th-minute substitute for Stan Maas. On 6 August 2021, during his starting debut in a home match against Helmond Sport, Leijten scored his first professional goal, converting a corner kick from Sebastiaan van Bakel in the 64th minute to make it 1–0. On 18 September 2021, Leijten signed a three-year contract on his eighteenth birthday.

Leijten made 86 total appearances for Den Bosch, in which he scored seven goals. He left the club at the end of the 2023–24 season, as his contract was not extended.

Roda JC

Leijten joined Roda JC after a three-week trial, signing a three-year contract on 9 August 2024 and taking the number 20 shirt. Technical manager Rob Servais cited his experience—86 matches for FC Den Bosch—and his physical attributes, and said the club believed he had further potential to develop. He made his debut three days later, replacing Joshua Schwirten after 63 minutes of the opening fixture of the season, a 6–1 defeat away to Jong AZ. He scored his first goal for the club on 26 November, in a 3–0 home win over Vitesse.

Leijten played little in his second season, and on 12 August 2026 his contract, which had a year left to run, was terminated by mutual consent. He had made 36 appearances for Roda JC and scored twice.

Lokomotiv Plovdiv

On 12 August 2026, Leijten moved to Lokomotiv Plovdiv in Bulgaria on a two-season deal.

Style of play

Leijten mainly operates as a midfielder and has been compared to Germany international Kai Havertz.

Personal life

Leijten can speak Chinese and Dutch.

Career statistics

As of match played 20 September 2026
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Den Bosch 2020–21 Eerste Divisie 10——10
2021–22 Eerste Divisie 32300—323
2022–23 Eerste Divisie 30310—313
2023–24 Eerste Divisie 21110—221
Total 84720—867
Roda JC 2024–25 Eerste Divisie 28210—292
2025–26 Eerste Divisie 60100070
Total 3422000362
Lokomotiv Plovdiv 2026–27 Bulgarian First League 6100—61
Career total 12410400012810

References

  1. ↑ "Leijten". Voetbal International (in Dutch). Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 Ryan Leijten at Soccerway
  3. 1 2 Meijer, Chris (14 January 2022). "'Ik dacht: ik ga mijn best doen, want als Napoli me hier al kan zien...'". Voetbalzone (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 13 July 2023. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  4. 1 2 Martens, Jan (18 September 2021). "Ryan Leijten tekent profcontract bij FC Den Bosch op zijn achttiende verjaardag". Brabants Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  5. ↑ Martens, Jan (13 May 2021). "Bizar einde van raar seizoen voor FC Den Bosch: 'Dit hebben we niet verdiend'". Brabants Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  6. ↑ Martens, Jan (12 May 2021). "Door corona getroffen FC Den Bosch gaat met fantasie-opstelling onderuit bij MVV". Brabants Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  7. ↑ "FC Den Bosch schiet uit de startblokken met 2-0 overwinning". Bossche Omroep (in Dutch). 8 August 2021. Archived from the original on 16 November 2024. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  8. ↑ "Ryan Leijten (18) tekent driejarig contract bij FC Den Bosch". FC Den Bosch (in Netherlands Dutch). 18 September 2021. Archived from the original on 21 October 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  9. ↑ "Ryan Leijten dwingt contract af bij Roda JC" [Ryan Leijten earns a contract at Roda JC] (in Dutch). Roda JC. 9 August 2024. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
  10. ↑ "Versterkt Jong AZ boekt recordzege in KKD tegen armlastig Roda JC" [A strengthened Jong AZ record a KKD record win over a cash-strapped Roda JC]. Voetbal International (in Dutch). 12 August 2024. Archived from the original on 16 August 2024. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
  11. ↑ Kleinen, Jelle (12 August 2024). "Afgang voor Roda JC in openingsronde: 6-1 nederlaag tegen Jong AZ" [Humiliation for Roda JC on the opening weekend: a 6–1 defeat to Jong AZ]. L1 Nieuws (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 14 August 2024. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
  12. ↑ Kleinen, Jelle (27 November 2024). "Roda kruipt omhoog met ruimte voor verbetering én keeperskwestie" [Roda are climbing the table, though there is room for improvement and a goalkeeping issue]. L1 Nieuws (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 22 February 2025. Retrieved 7 October 2026.
  13. ↑ "Roda JC en Ryan Leijten in goed overleg uit elkaar" [Roda JC and Ryan Leijten part ways on good terms] (in Dutch). Roda JC Kerkrade. 12 August 2026. Archived from the original on 13 August 2026. Retrieved 7 October 2026.
  14. ↑ Kleinen, Jelle (12 August 2026). "Transfernieuws: Roda JC legt routinier definitief vast en laat middenvelder gaan" [Transfer news: Roda JC sign a veteran permanently and let a midfielder go]. L1 Nieuws (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 7 October 2026. Retrieved 7 October 2026.
  15. ↑ "Локомотив пoдписа договор с Райън Ляйтън" [Lokomotiv signed a contract with Ryan Leijten] (in Bulgarian). PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv. 12 August 2026. Retrieved 6 October 2026.
  16. ↑ "Ryan Leijten: a new Kai Havertz?". ttplus.cn.
  17. ↑ "Ryan Yang Leijten swingt in de Vliert en op de piano". bd.nl.