N.E.C. Nijmegen will decide this week on a potential contract for free-agent defender Mitchell Bakker. The 26-year-old left-back trained with the club during their camp in Estepona, Spain and made a positive impression on head coach Dick Schreuder.

Schreuder stated that Bakker impressed both on and off the pitch. "Mitchell is super experienced for his age with the number of clubs he has played for," the coach said. Bakker, from Purmerend, has previously played for clubs including Ajax, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayer Leverkusen. He became a free agent at the end of September after terminating his contract with Atalanta Bergamo.

Versatility and availability

Schreuder highlighted the player's versatility, stating he can play on the left, right or in central defence. That flexibility is both an advantage and a consideration. The coach explained that Bakker himself chose to return to play in the Netherlands. "He has made the choice for himself to want to play in the Netherlands again. That's why he is available," Schreuder clarified.

The need for defensive reinforcement is underlined by injuries at N.E.C. Bram Nuytinck and Philippe Sandler are injured, while there are also fitness questions over Perr Schuurs and Ahmetcan Kaplan. The team's last result was a 1-1 draw against Go Ahead Eagles on September 20, with a goal from the returning Schuurs. The club's recent form is mixed with one win, two draws and two defeats in the last five matches.

Decision approaches

The club management will hold talks with Bakker in the coming days to see if an agreement is feasible. A decision is expected this week. The timing is significant, as N.E.C. have an away fixture against Ajax on Saturday. The current injury status of the squad can be followed on the injuries page, while the full fixtures schedule shows the upcoming matches.

Mitchell Bakker trained with the squad in Spain over the recent period and left a good impression there, both sportingly and personally. N.E.C. Nijmegen hope to get clarity this week on a possible deal with the experienced defender. Coach Schreuder's team will face Ajax at the Johan Cruijff ArenA on Saturday at 18:45, aiming to break a mixed run of form that has seen just one win in their last five league matches.

Background and full detail: forzanec.nl