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Chelsea will attempt to get their season back on track when they visit Liverpool in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night.
The Blues suffered a surprise 2-0 defeat at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur in a London derby on Saturday, marking just the second time in the Premier League era that the Lilywhites have won at Stamford Bridge in the competition.
Manager Xabi Alonso will therefore be under pressure to oversee a better performance on Wednesday, with the Carabao Cup representing a good opportunity for Chelsea to lift a trophy this term.
Ahead of that tie, it appears that the west London outfit are one of two Premier League sides interested in a defender from the Dutch top flight.
As per TEAMtalk, both Chelsea and Manchester United are monitoring FC Twente defender Ruud Nijstad.
The report suggests that both the Blues and the Red Devils are keeping tabs on the 18-year-old, who has made a strong start to his senior career in his native Netherlands.
Michael Carrick’s Manchester United are also said to be interested in the defender (Photo: Alamy)
The central defender – who can also play at left-back – has played 40 times for Twente across all competitions, including 16 appearances already so far this season.
Nijstad, who is 6ft 3, has been praised for his physical stature and composure on the ball, the report suggests, with the teenager’s performances having attracted interest from both Chelsea and Man United.
The defender’s current contract with Twente is set to run until the end of the 2028/29 campaign, but it appears that he is already on the radar of several huge European clubs.
Chelsea and United could face fierce competition in the race to land the player, though, with Spanish champions Barcelona also said to be interested.
The report claims that Barcelona director Xavi has previously travelled to the Netherlands to hold discussions, with Twente having rejected an approach from the La Liga giants.
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