More than a dozen European clubs, including Brighton, have inquired about FC Twente's 18-year-old Netherlands defender, Ruud Nijstad. Several teams have sent scouts on multiple occasions to verify his early-season form. The feedback has reportedly been very positive. Chelsea, Manchester City, and Newcastle United are among the interested Premier League clubs. The parent companies of both Chelsea and City are said to be actively working on the situation. Tottenham, Aston Villa, and Brentford have also shown interest. Barcelona had previously made a strong effort to sign the player and held talks. However, sources close to the negotiations claim that the Catalan club was not willing to exceed a €10 million figure mentioned by Twente. Additionally, it was understood that Nijstad was not convinced by the development plan that was presented to him. German clubs, including Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, and RB Leipzig, have also sent scouts multiple times in recent weeks. Nijstad has 6 caps and 1 goal for the Netherlands U18s. This season in the Eredivisie, he has made 9 appearances and provided 1 assist. His contract with Twente is valid until June 30, 2027. His market value is estimated by Transfermarkt to be €700k.