Ranking Roma’s Youth, #8: Devyne Rensch

[ASFN Admin]

You must be registered for see images attach

NEWPORT, WALES - AUGUST 04: Devyne Rensch of AS Roma competes for the ball during the during the pre-season friendly match between Newport County and AS Roma at Rodney Parade on August 04, 2026 in Newport, Wales. (Photo by Fabio Rossi/AS Roma via Getty Images) | AS Roma via Getty Images

We’ve just barely cracked the seal on the 2026 version of our Top 10 U-23 countdown, and as expected, the first two names on the list, midfielder/wing-back Mattia Mannini and forward Antonio Arena, are short on experience but long on potential. Our eighth-ranked player, who happens to be 23 years old, may lack the upside of some of the younger names on this countdown, but Devyne Rensch has a chance to earn a considerable role with Roma this season.

After barely getting off the bench during his initial half-season with the club, Rensch made headway under Gasp in 2025, making 32 appearances across all competitions for 1,632 minutes. Now, with Angeliño and Zeki Çelik gone, Rensch might take on a more prominent role in his third season.

So, without futher ado, let’s take a look at the young Dutchman, who jumped up one spot from last summer’s countdown.

You must be registered for see images attach

Number Eight: Devyne Rensch​

Age: 23

Position: Full-back

Shades of: Noussair Mazraoui, Jurriën Timber, Daley Blind, Timothy Castagne

Who Is He?​

From last year’s listing:

Rensch, 22, began his footballing career at VV Unicum before being spotted by Ajax scouts at age 13, joining their renowned youth academy, De Toekomst, in 2016. After a short settling-in period, Rensch broke through in 2019-2020, winning the Abdelhak Nouri Trophy, which honors the most promising prospect of the year.

Not long after that, Rensch made his first team debut with Ajax at just 17 years old and earned 12 starts during the 2020-2021 season, scoring three goals and providing two assists in less than 900 minutes on the pitch. By 2022, Rensch was a regular starter for Ajax, making 68 starts over the next two and a half seasons before transferring to Roma in January 2025.

Rensch’s first full year in Roma was a bit uneven. After starting two of the first four matches of the season, Rensch didn’t see another start until mid-December. However, once the calendar flipped to 2026, Rensch took off, making 12 starts in all competitions, compiling one goal and four assists in roughly 1,600 minutes.

What Can He Do?​

Similar to the first name on our countdown, Mattia Mannini, Rensch will make his living as a technically sound and tactically versatile chess piece. The key difference, of course, is that Rensch has already proven he can be a dependable plug-and-play defender in the top flight. Last season, Rensch saw minutes at both wing-back spots, midfield, and even a couple of spot appearances as a center-back.

No matter where he’s deployed, Rensch delivers solid, steady-as-she-goes play. Instead of being a pedal-to-the-metal jackrabbit or a cross-happy wing-back, Rensch earns his paycheck by excelling in the less glamorous aspects of the job: playing short combinations in the build-up phase, cutting inside and making late runs into the box. If he were a basketball player, he’d be a back-to-the-basket forward putting up 12 pts and eight boards rather than a floor-spacing unicorn throwing up double-doubles every night and shooting 40% from three.

Despite his yeoman profile, don’t discount what Rensch can do with the ball at his feet. Racking up four assists in only 1,184 league minutes is very impressive. In fact, his 0.30 assists per 90 minutes was the second-highest mark on the squad last season, trailing only Paulo Dybala among eligible players.

What Can He Become?​

Unlike last summer’s countdown, when we weren’t certain he’d even be with the club when the season began, Rensch has a spot at the table this year. While Wesley and impending signee Nahuel Molina should be penciled in as starters, given the ability (and adaptability) he showed last season, Rensch should be the top option off the bench if either of his South American teammates flounders or simply needs a rest.

With 50-some odd matches in store for the Giallorossi this season, Rensch could easily eclipse 2,000 minutes come May, but his long-term upside is a bit murkier. He’s never going to make anyone forget about Roberto Carlos, but Rensch could carve out a long and successful career as the 12th or 13th man in the squad, averaging 20-24 appearances every season.

Think of him as a modern-day Nicolas Burdisso or Marco Cassetti, not so much in role as in presence—he can be a player who simply sticks around, weathering all the storms Roma can throw at him while remaining dependable and occasionally surprising you with game-changing moments.

I’d take that every day of the week and twice on Sunday.

Continue reading...