FC Twente reject Barcelona approach as Rod Niestadt commits future to Dutch club

FC Twente have ruled out the possibility of Rod Niestadt leaving the club after manager Erik ten Hag confirmed the teenage defender has not asked to move on, despite strong interest from Barcelona and several other major European sides during the summer transfer window.

Barcelona had been monitoring Niestadt closely after the centre-back impressed with his performances for FC Twente. However, the Dutch club remained determined to keep the 18-year-old, believing he needs more time to continue his development with the first team before considering the next step in his career.

Ten Hag said the interest from leading clubs was well known at FC Twente, but made clear that Niestadt had not expressed a desire to leave during the summer.

“There is a lot of interest in Rod from very big clubs, and that is no secret,” Ten Hag told RTV Oost.

The manager then explained that the player’s immediate priority was to remain with FC Twente, adding: “He wants to stay here. We did not renew his contract by chance. He wants to continue his journey here, at least during this season, to be successful with us, and then we will see what happens.”

The comments underline FC Twente’s determination to retain one of the most promising players to emerge from their academy. The club took a significant step towards protecting Niestadt’s future in June by extending his contract until 2029.

That new agreement was intended to strengthen FC Twente’s position and prevent the defender from leaving easily if major clubs continued to show interest. The club also believes that giving Niestadt regular opportunities with the first team will be important for his progression.

Barcelona’s interest became particularly prominent during the summer, with the Catalan club understood to have made a serious attempt to sign the Netherlands Under-? defender. Their pursuit reportedly went as far as an offer worth close to €8m for the centre-back.

FC Twente rejected that proposal because they wanted a higher fee. Their stance remained unchanged throughout the negotiations, with Ten Hag consistently opposed to the idea of allowing Niestadt to depart during the summer.

The manager’s position was also influenced by FC Twente’s desire to give the teenager a larger role in the first team. Rather than treating the Barcelona approach as an opportunity to sell, the club viewed the coming season as an important stage in Niestadt’s development.

For now, the defender is expected to remain at FC Twente, with his contract running until 2029 and the player himself committed to staying for at least the current campaign. His future beyond this season remains open, but Ten Hag’s latest comments have ended speculation that Niestadt was pushing for an immediate move to Barcelona.