Twente plan a pay rise for the 18-year-old Man United want, and Barcelona could now go to €25m

FC Twente are planning to hand Ruud Nijstad a pay rise to keep him out of reach in January, which leaves Manchester United facing a much bigger bill for the 18-year-old centre-back.

According to El Nacional, the Dutch club want to improve the teenager’s terms only months after he signed a deal running until 2029. The aim is simple: stop a mid-season exit, keep him developing until the summer and push his price towards €40m (£33.3m).

United and Bayern Munich are both said to want him in January, and the scouting reports on him are described as extremely positive. Barcelona, who had a bid turned down in the summer, are now ready to come back with a far bigger offer.

Why are Twente offering Nijstad a new deal so soon?

Because they can. Twente already hold a contract until 2029, so they’re under no pressure to sell, and a significant pay rise would make it harder still for anyone to prise him away halfway through the campaign.

The plan is to keep him at De Grolsch Veste until the end of the season and let his value keep climbing. Twente believe he could eventually be worth around €40m (£33.3m), though that’s their ambition rather than a set asking price.

For context, Transfermarkt valued him at €18m earlier this week, and the club’s record sale is the €14m Southampton paid for Dušan Tadić in 2014.

What has Erik ten Hag said about the Man United target?

The former United manager has been Twente’s technical director since February, and he’s been open about the queue forming for Nijstad.

Erik ten Hag said: “I don’t know, but there is indeed interest in him. Several clubs from the top 8 in Europe have made concrete offers. But he simply made a very conscious choice to play for FC Twente this season.”

He added: “He is a very great talent who joined the team last season. He is still very young, but he does so in a very self-assured manner. It is a pleasure to work with that boy. Quite a few clubs from the top of Europe have come forward. I think that is only a good thing.”

Ten Hag also stressed that the youngster had chosen to stay for at least another year, “maybe even longer, but in any case, this season.”

Barcelona’s €25m return

Barcelona offered €8m (£6.7m) late in the summer window. Twente turned it down straight away, partly because there was no time left to find a replacement.

Now the Catalan club could return with a proposal worth around €25m (£20.8m). Joan Laporta and Deco want a left-footed centre-back in the middle of the season, and Nijstad is one of their preferred options. That offer hasn’t been made yet, and there’s no sign United have bid either.

Who is Ruud Nijstad?

A Netherlands Under-19 international who came through Twente’s academy and broke into the first team last season, playing 1,770 minutes across 24 matches. In his first full Eredivisie campaign he had already clocked 1,485 minutes in 17 games by the start of this week.

He’s been on Premier League radars for a while. Chelsea and Manchester City were linked in April, when he said the interest made him happy and that he would either move in the summer or sign an extension. He chose the extension, and Twente are now looking to sweeten it.

United’s interest comes at a turbulent time at Old Trafford. Michael Carrick’s side came from two down to beat Roma in the Champions League this week, but that was only after the red card that left Carrick exposed at Chelsea. The club have also been sending scouts across Europe for January options, and a long-term centre-back is on the list.

Is Ruud Nijstad worth the wait for Man United?

In my view, yes, but not in January. A pay rise for an 18-year-old already tied down until 2029 tells you Twente aren’t selling cheaply, and Ten Hag knows exactly how United work. Any mid-season deal would mean paying a premium for a player who has only just chosen to stay.

The smarter play is to keep the scouts on him and move in the summer, when Barcelona’s bid will have set the market and Twente’s €40m dream will have met reality. United need a centre-back for next season, not a bidding war in January. If they get dragged into one, it’s Twente and Ten Hag who will be smiling.