Exclusive: From tattoos to tennis balls and the deep bond driving Banel at Derby

Jaydon Banel rolls up his sleeve on his Derby County training top and points to the word 'family' tattooed on the inside of his bicep.

The names of his parents, Cleon and Miloeska, also appear on his hand, leaving you in no doubt about who has had the greatest influence on his life.

"If it was not for them, I don't know where I would get my drive or motivation from, so I am very grateful," he says.

"Without them, I wouldn't have got this far in my career. My family is everything, and I speak to them every day. They don't live with me here in England, but I reach out to them, and they do the same every day.

"The tattoo just resembles how important they are because I can and have learned so much from them."

Banel's family live in Amsterdam, where the winger came through the ranks at Ajax, a club which has a long and rich history of producing some of the game's most eloquent players.

Whether it was the mercurial Johan Cruyff or the brilliance of Dennis Bergkamp, you are not just taught to want the ball, but to love it.

From his neighbourhood in Kraaiennest, Banel would ride his electric scooter to the training ground from the age of 16, a journey that took him a matter of minutes.

Technique, intelligence, personality and speed, otherwise known as the TIPS system, underpins the entire education system. You can see by the way Banel plays that he didn't skip class.

"Wherever you live in Amsterdam, it's just Ajax," continues Banel.

"Between the ages of 12 and 16, I was picked up by a bus with several other players, and then we drove straight to the training ground.

"Once you turned 16, we had to get there on our own, and that was the time when I would pick up my scooter and drive through the streets of Amsterdam.

"That was a great experience. I would go and train or just watch other groups training and admire being there.

"It was amazing, really, because I had always dreamt of playing for them. Dennis Bergkamp was the role model. His first touch was a joke and, for me, the best example of how important that first touch is. He was the one I admired the most.

"But it is a strict philosophy. No matter what position you're playing on the pitch, it's important to be technically good and it did not matter if were a goalie, a centre-back a midfielder and so on. And if you're good enough, no matter what age, you can go through the ranks very quickly.

"They also stressed the importance of practising whenever you're at home, and that's what I did. The philosophy is to enjoy football and keep playing on the streets.

"Even though we loved PlayStations, they made sure that we had a small tennis ball or a smaller-sized ball at home. It might be just kicking the ball off a wall or some dribbling, but you would have to make a video and send it to the trainer.

"That's why my technique is good, and I am so thankful to Ajax and the academy for that."

Banel made six appearances for Ajax, both in the Europa League and in the Dutch top flight, before Burnley signed him for an undisclosed fee last February.

Leaving Ajax and home would not have been an easy decision, but Banel was adamant that he needed to carve his own path, and, like so many foreign players, his dream was to play in England.

After making a handful of appearances for Burnley, Derby pounced to take him on loan this January in a move that has been good for his development.

"I knew about Derby because one of my first memories was when I was four years old and they played against Manchester United, who are my club, in the Premier League," he says.

"Ever since that moment, I have known about Derby and how Wayne Rooney played there. I knew it was a big club.

"I'm really enjoying it. The lads and the staff are amazing. I have my place here in Derby. I've been to the mall and seen the llamas with my girlfriend.

"I think the countryside suits me more. Back home, it was always so crowded with lots of people, but I think with more green in front of me, I'm more chilled."

Banel has two games left before he returns to Burnley, but he has already left a sizeable imprint, given he has scored one of the goals of the season.

In Derby's recent win over Oxford, he ran 80 yards at breakneck speed, cut inside two players and applied an emphatic finish from the edge of the area. It was a glimpse of his talent, and the goal did not just catch the eye of the fans and those on social media, but also his family back home.

"It was the best goal I have scored in England for sure," he says.

"My phone was very busy afterwards, but it was important because we deserved to win the game and we still have something to play for.

"But that goal is what people want to see from me, my family as well.

"My mum, dad, little brother, little sister, grandma, aunty - everybody was very happy.

"They knew I was starting the game, so they all watched it together and it was a very happy moment for them.

"When they saw the goal live, they were like 'yeah, this is Jaydon'. I was very pleased with that."