N.E.C. Nijmegen have bolstered their defensive options with the signing of Mitchel Bakker. The 26-year-old left-footed defender has joined on a free transfer, signing a one-year contract with a unilateral option for a further season.
Technical director Carlos Aalbers expressed his satisfaction with the arrival of the versatile player. He stated that Bakker has played at the highest level in three major European competitions and will bring that experience to Nijmegen. Bakker can operate at left-back, left midfield and can also fill in as a centre-back.
The defender, a product of the Ajax academy, had been training with N.E.C. in recent weeks, first at their camp in Estepona and later in Nijmegen. He was a free agent after leaving Atalanta. Bakker has previously played for Paris Saint-Germain, Lille and Bayer Leverkusen and was in the preliminary Netherlands squad for the 2022 World Cup.
He is eligible to play immediately and will wear the number 5 shirt. His debut could come as soon as Saturday in the key away match against Ajax, a fixture with implications for European qualification. The squad has a mixed recent form of one win and two draws from their last five league games. The full standings and fixtures schedule are available online.
Bakker adds immediate quality and flexibility to the squad for the challenges ahead.
Background and full detail: nec-nijmegen.nl
