Newcastle United have joined the race to sign FC Twente centre-back Ruud Nijstad, according to reports.
The Netherlands Under-18 international has been the subject of strong interest from La Liga champions Barcelona, but TEAMtalk claim the teenager has been left “unconvinced” about their plans for him.
It is believed the Magpies, Manchester City and Chelsea are now leading the “scramble” for Nijstad, with the Premier League deemed his likeliest destination.
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A fee in excess of €10m (£8.7m) is likely to be needed for the 18-year-old, despite the fact that he has only made 13 senior appearances.
What do Newcastle fans need to know about the defender?
Nijstad has been in FC Twente’s youth ranks since the age of ten. He is strong in the air, standing at nearly 6ft 4 tall.
The youngster has also taken on a leadership role in youth football, having been given the captain’s armband for games at club and international level.
Twente handed Nijstad his first-team debut earlier this season. He came on as a substitute against Heracles following an early injury to Robin Propper. He kept his place for the subsequent fixture against NEC Nijmegen, and he hasn’t looked back from there.
Other English top-flight teams are tracking Nijstad
TEAMtalk report that the Dutchman has also been scouted by Tottenham, Aston Villa, Brighton and Brentford on several occasions.
It does seem like Nijstad will need to be given guarantees about his path to first-team football. In that sense, both Chelsea and Man City have the edge because they have feeder clubs where he could get game time.
Newcastle would need to convince the centre-half that he will be given a chance to impress at senior level. Otherwise, he may choose to move elsewhere in the summer.
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