FC Twente expect more clubs to pursue teenage defender Ruud Nijstad during 2027, though the Dutch side have no plans to let him leave in the January transfer window.
Seven English clubs have already checked on the 18-year-old centre-back. Newcastle United, Manchester United, Manchester City, Brentford, Aston Villa, Everton and Sunderland have all been linked with the youngster.
Journalist Graeme Bailey reported for TEAMtalk that these clubs are tracking Nijstad following his rise into the Twente senior squad. Another report also noted that Chelsea and Bayern Munich are watching the player. At this point, the interest from Premier League teams is strictly limited to scouting and monitoring. None of the English clubs have opened talks or submitted a formal bid.
Contract until 2029 puts Twente in control
Twente put themselves in a strong position in June when Nijstad signed a new contract. The agreement keeps him at the club until the summer of 2029. He chose to stay and develop his game in Enschede even though clubs inside the Netherlands and across Europe were showing interest.
In their official announcement, Twente explained that Nijstad stayed because he felt settled and believed the club offered the right path for his progress. Because his contract has years left to run, Twente face no immediate pressure to cash in on him and hold a strong hand for any future transfer talks.
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Earlier PSV bid and academy rise
English scouts are not the first to test Twente’s resolve. Before Nijstad signed his contract extension in June, PSV made the first formal move to buy him. According to a report from Voetbal International, PSV put forward an offer worth between €5 million and €6m. Twente turned the bid down and the two clubs never reached an agreement.
Now that Nijstad is tied down until 2029, Twente intend to keep him for the remainder of the current season.
The left-footed defender joined the Twente academy in 2019 and worked his way through the youth ranks. He made his senior debut at age 17 during the 2025/26 campaign, finishing that season with 24 first-team appearances and one goal.
