Jayden Nguyen will remain with Essendon as a Category B Rookie for the 2027 AFL season.

The 20-year-old will continue into a third season with the Club that’s served as his ‘home away from home’ for the past five years as a former member of the Essendon Next Generation Academy.

Nguyen made history after officially signing on as a rookie for 2025, becoming the first ever player of Vietnamese descent to debut in the AFL when he took the field against the Swans in round 21.

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Rd 21 | Nguyen's Remarkable Debut

Go behind the scenes of Jayden Nguyen’s AFL debut with Essendon, featuring exclusive interviews with his closest loved ones and heartfelt reactions from his family during the game.

His lockdown effort on Tom Papley highlighted the tenacity and ferocious attack on both footy and opponent which paved his path into the big time.

A move into the forward line added a new string to Nguyen’s bow this year and it bore fruit in some confident VFL showings, thriving as a pressure forward and bringing Windy Hill to its feet on several occasions in a brilliant performance during the Elimination Final win over Williamstown.

General Manager of List and Recruiting Matt Rosa heaped praise on Nguyen for his continuing development.

“Jayden’s constant application to improvement has been terrific in his first couple of seasons and we’re excited to see that roll on into next year,” Rosa said.

“He’s got a willingness to take the game on and use his speed but also has a real competitive streak in him which has translated well to his VFL performances as a pressure forward.

“We’re confident Jayden can continue to develop his game and be an asset as he continues to develop his forward craft.”

Follow all the latest player movement news at Essendon's Player Movement Hub here.