Ryan Yang Leijten (; 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
+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueCupOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsDen Bosch2020–21Eerste Divisie10——102021–22Eerste Divisie32300—3232022–23Eerste Divisie30310—3132023–24Eerste Divisie21110—221Total84720—867Roda JC2024–25Eerste Divisie28210—2922025–26Eerste Divisie60100070Total3422000362Lokomotiv Plovdiv2026–27Bulgarian First League6100—61Career total12410400012810
References
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