American midfielder Alex Mendez signs with Dutch club Ajax

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. 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 Nov. 21 to lead the U.S. over Mexico in the CONCACAF Under-20 Championship final and was selected the U.S. 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.