Barcelona transfer news: Who is the young Dutch defender on Barca's radar?

Barcelona continue their search for new talents and have now set their sights on Dutch left-footed centre-back Ruud Nijstad. The 18-year-old plays professionally for Twente in the Netherlands and is under contract with the Eredivisie side until 2027, but could leave the club before then.

So far, the Blaugrana have already confirmed the signings of striker Hamza Abdelkarim from Al Ahly and full-back Patricio Pacifico from Defensor. The club are still awaiting the arrival of winger Ajay Tavares from Norwich City.

Barca send delegation to Holland

According to Dutch outlet Wfcgroningen, the Catalan club have already sent a delegation to the Netherlands with the aim of convincing the defender not to renew with his current side and accept Barcelona's offer. Initially, the youngster would be integrated into the B team, but could reach the first team in a short space of time.

Nijstad still has a year and a half remaining on his contract with Twente and, therefore, an agreement between all parties would be needed to complete the signing either in this window or in June.

Barcelona's board are looking to sign players under 20 years of age. By doing so, the club get ahead in the market and gain an advantage over their rivals.

The operations sought by the Blaugrana are loans or very low-cost deals, allowing them to secure the signing of standout players in their home countries who can develop in the Catalan club's youth setup, progress and reach the first team.

Who is Ruud Nijstad?

The 18-year-old defender stands out for his physique. At over 1.90m tall, the player is very complete and boasts excellent vision. The youngster has been enjoying an outstanding season on his debut in the Dutch top flight, as well as earning call-ups to the Netherlands Under-18 squad.

The fact that Nijstad is left-footed is also something that attracts Barcelona. The club are keeping an eye on other defenders with the same characteristic, and Juwensley Onstein from Genk is also reportedly on the Spanish side's radar.

The defender, who is still in the youth ranks, is said to be highly sought after due to his strong performances for the club.

This season, Nijstad has made nine appearances for Twente with one assist across the Eredivisie and the Dutch Cup. He has played 583 minutes, recording three interceptions and 34 clearances. Additionally, in the Dutch league, the youngster has achieved 87.7% passing accuracy, according to 365Scores.