Out of action from September 2011 to February 2012 with a hamstring injury, Nicolai Boilesen will hope to return to favour with Denmark coach Morten Olsen in time for UEFA EURO 2012. He is a highly promising left-back with a glittering future ahead of him both at AFC Ajax and on the international stage.

• Born in Ballerup, close to Copenhagen, he received his footballing education at Brøndby IF, during which time he racked up a succession of appearances for Denmark at youth level.

• Had not played a Superligaen game for Brøndby when he left the club to join his fellow Dane Christian Eriksen at Ajax.

• Made his Eredivisie debut for the Amsterdam team as a half-time substitute in a 3-0 defeat of Heracles Almelo on 3 April 2011 and added five further league appearances in the starting XI before the season was out, including the last-day 3-1 home win against FC Twente that gave Ajax their first Eredivisie title for seven years.

• Also appeared a week earlier in the 2011 Dutch Cup final against Twente, which Ajax lost 3-2 after extra time in Rotterdam.

• Started all three matches for Denmark at the 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Championship on home soil before receiving his first senior cap that August in a friendly against Scotland in Glasgow; started the key UEFA EURO 2012 qualifier at home to Norway the following month but was injured 12 days later in a 2-2 draw at PSV Eindhoven, sidelining him for five months until he returned as a substitute against Manchester United FC in the UEFA Europa League round of 32.