Newcastle United are among several Premier League clubs to have shown interest in FC Twente's teenage defender Ruud Nijstad, a Netherlands youth international. Chelsea, Manchester City, Tottenham, and Aston Villa are also among the interested clubs. The opportunity for English clubs has increased because Barcelona hesitated on a deal after holding talks for the 18-year-old. The Catalan club was unwilling to exceed a €10 million figure discussed with Twente, and it was also reported that Nijstad was unconvinced by their proposed development plan. Several clubs, including German sides Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, and RB Leipzig, have sent scouts multiple times to watch the centre-back, with feedback on his form being overwhelmingly positive. Nijstad is currently contracted to Twente until 2027. In the 2025/2026 Eredivisie season, he has made 9 appearances and provided 1 assist. He also has 6 caps and 1 goal for the Netherlands U18 team and a Transfermarkt valuation of €700k.