Ajax midfielder suffered ‘serious, permanent brain damage’ after collapsing on pitch

Ajax midfielder Abdelhak Nouri, who collapsed during his team’s friendly match last Saturday, has being diagnosed with serious and permanent brain damage, his football club revealed on Thursday.

The 20-year-old Nouri, who made 15 appearances with Ajax last season, collapsed on the pitch in the second half of the friendly match against Werder Bremen in Zillertal, Austria last weekend.

Paramedics provided him with emergency treatment on the scene, but he eventually had to be transported to a hospital by helicopter.

It was reported earlier by the BBC that Nouri could suffer from cardiac arrhythmia, a group of conditions in which the heart beats irregularly.

On Thursday, Ajax made an official statement regarding Nouri’s health status on their website and Twitter account.

“Ajax are deeply saddened by the news that Appie Nouri has been diagnosed with serious and permanent brain damage,” the club wrote on Twitter, adding the hashtag #StayStrongAppie.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to him and his loved ones in this difficult time.”

Among those who expressed their support on social media were notable footballers, Manchester United’s Daley Blind and Fenerbahce’s and Netherlands international Robin van Persie.

According to the statement on the website, the chance of recovery of the Amsterdam native “is very low.”