Urby Emanuelson

Urby Vitorrio Diego Emanuelson (born 16 June 1986) is a Dutch former professional footballer.

He is the currently assistant trainer of Jong Ajax.

As a product of the Ajax Youth Academy, Emanuelson spent most of his career at Ajax playing as a left wing-back, before being played more as a left midfielder or left winger by manager Martin Jol.

As a result, he flourished in his new role on the left wing, frequently making runs and assisting from the flanks while scoring goals himself.

After his move to AC Milan, his then-manager Massimiliano Allegri played Emanuelson also as an attacking midfielder, midfielder and right winger.

Emanuelson is a product of Ajax's youth system, joining them from Voorland SC.

Emanuelson later made three more appearances, adding up his tally to five at the end of the 2004–05 season.

Having been called up to the first team on two occasions, on 24 February 2005 Emanuelson made his Ajax debut, coming on as a 79th-minute substitute, in a 3–1 loss against Auxerre in the second leg of the UEFA Cup Round of 32.

He made his debut during the 2004–05 season on 10 April 2005, coming on as a 78th-minute substitute, in a 4–2 home win over AZ Alkmaar.

Ahead of the 2005–06 season, Emanuelson was linked a move away from Ajax, as several clubs were interested in signing him on loan, but he ended up staying at the club.

Emanuelson made his first appearance of the season, starting in the left–back position against PSV Eindhoven in the Johan Cruyff Shield and helped Ajax win 2–1, winning his first trophy in his career.

Since the start of the 2005–06 season, he quickly became first-choice left back and impressed in a number of matches for the club.

At times, Emanuelson rotated in playing in the left–midfield position.

He then helped Ajax beat Brøndby in both legs, as the club won 5–3 on aggregate.

This lasted until Emanuelson was sidelined with an injury that saw him miss four matches for Ajax.

On 27 December 2005 he returned to the first team, coming on as a 73rd-minute substitute, in a 3–2 win against FC Groningen.

Since returning from the sidelines, Emanuelson appeared in the next eleven matches for the club, mostly playing in the left–back position and rotated in the midfield position on two occasions.

By March, however, he suffered a muscle injury that expected him to be sidelined for the rest of the 2005–06 season.

At the end of the 2005–06 season, Emanuelson made forty–one appearances and scoring two times in all competitions.

Having progressed through the club's youth system, he signed his first professional contract, keeping him until 2006.

On 22 January 2006 he came on as an 82nd-minute substitute and scored his first Ajax goal, which turned out to be the winning goal, in a 3–2 win.

Two weeks later on 2 February 2006, Emanuelson scored his second goal for the club, in a 3–0 win against SC Heerenveen in the quarter–finals of the KNVB Beker.

On 16 April 2006 Emanuelson returned to the starting line–up in the last game of the season, in a 4–2 win against RKC Waalwijk.

He played four times in the newly born Eredivisie play-offs after finishing in the fifth position in the regular competition.

In the play-offs, they defeated Feyenoord but lost to FC Groningen in the club's unsuccessful attempt to claim a spot in the Champions League preliminaries for the following season.

In the final of the KNVB Cup against PSV Eindhoven, he started in the left–back position with Ajax and helped the side win 2–1.

As a result, his efforts resulted in him being named "Amsterdam talent of the year 2006" alongside Thomas Vermaelen.

At the start of the 2006–07 season, Emanuelson played the whole game, as Ajax beat PSV Eindhoven 3–1 to win the Johan Cruyff Shield.

He quickly regained his first team place, rotating in the left–back position and midfield positions.

However, Emanuelson played in both legs of the third round of the UEFA Champions League against Copenhagen, as the club were eliminated following a 4–1 defeat on aggregate.

On 14 October 2006 he scored his first goal for Ajax, in a 3–2 win against FC Groningen.

This was followed up by helping the club keeping three out of the four consecutive clean sheets, in which Emanuelson played in the left–back position.

In a match against Sparta Prague, Emanuelson was sent–off for a second bookable offence, as they drew 0–0.

Despite this, he then scored his second goal of the season, in a 6–0 win against Willem II on 3 December 2006.

By the end of the year, Emanuelson was nominated for the Golden Boy, but won the 2006's Amsterdam Talent award.

He continued to start in the first team until a knee injury sustained during a 4–1 win against Feyenoord on 4 February 2007 saw him sidelined for a month.

On 4 March 2007 Emanuelson made a return to the starting line–up, in a 1–0 loss against SC Heerenveen.

This was followed up by setting up two goals, in a 4–1 win against FC Twente.

In the last game of the season against Willem II, Emanuelson scored his third goal of the season, in a 2–0 win.

Following a transfer speculation reporting that Palermo wanted sign to Emanuelson, he signed a contract extension with Ajax, keeping him until 2011, ending the transfer speculation.