Adam Maher opts for Holland

Moroccan-born football starlet Adam Maher has decided that his future lies with the Dutch national team.

The 18-year-old AZ Alkmaar playmaker was born in the central Moroccan town of Ait Izzou, but spent his youth and formative years in the Netherlands. Because of his dual nationality, he could have chosen to play for Morocco too. Maher has already been included in the Dutch U-21 squad but he took his time to decide on which team he wanted to represent on senior international level.

Holland manager Bert van Marwijk has expressed his delight at the decision, taken at the Dutch pre-Euro 2012 training camp in Lausanne, Switzerland:

Named the top talent of the Dutch Premier League, Adam Maher has extraordinary skills. His close control of the ball and shooting skills are of the highest caliber. Small wonder that Barcelona are reportedly eyeing him up. Maher's market value currently stands at around three million euros, but is set to sky-rocket when he stars at the upcoming European Championship finals.