AZ take up Medunjanin option

AZ Alkmaar have taken up an option in the contract of midfielder Haris Medunjanin, who will now stay with the UEFA Cup quarter-finalists until summer 2009.

U21 glory
The 22-year-old, who was part of the Netherlands squad who lifted the UEFA European Under-21 Championship trophy in Portugal last summer, is currently on loan at Sparta Rotterdam, but will return to AZ in the summer. Medunjanin, who was born in Sarajevo in Bosnia-Herzegovina, has scored six goals in 27 Eredivisie matches for Sparta this season.

Loan departures
Another Dutch U21 international who will return to AZ at the end of the season is 20-year-old midfielder Kemy Agustien, who joined from Willem II last summer and was immediately loaned to Roda JC, where he has scored one goal in 27 league matches. AZ have, however, confirmed that a number of on-loan players will be allowed to leave at the end of the season when their contracts expire: Miel Mans (MVV Maastricht), Willy Overtoom (Stormvogels Telstar), Beau Molenaar (FC Omniworld) and Tom Zoontjes (Stormvogels Telstar) will not have their deals renewed while Nigerian striker Pius Ikedia, currently on loan at RKC Waalwijk, has also been told he can leave.