Dick Schreuder hints at NEC. Contract for Mitchell Bakker

NEC head coach Dick Schreuder has indicated that the club will discuss offering a contract to Mitchell Baker this week after the defender left a positive impression during a training camp in Estepona, Spain. The 26-year-old from Purmerend is currently a free agent and joined the Eredivisie club during the international break.

Bakker became a free agent after having his contract with Atalanta dissolved on September 1. Late last month, NEC announced that the left-footed player would travel with the squad to Spain to attempt to earn a contract. His past career includes stints with Ajax, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayer Leverkusen, Atalanta Bergamo, and OSC Lille. Schreuder stated on Tuesday on the club channel that whether this results in a collaboration will now be discussed internally by the club.

Evaluation by Dick Schreuder

Speaking on the club’s official channel, Schreuder praised the player’s background and integration into the squad. Mitchell is of course already super experienced for his age with the number of clubs he has played for., Schreuder stated, adding that the player chose to return to the Netherlands, making him available. He noted that Bakker left a super positive impression over the past week, including how he moved within the group.

Schreuder noted that Bakker performed well both on the field and within the group. We will discuss his situation further with the club this week., he said regarding a potential agreement.

Injuries Leave NEC Defense in Need of Reinforcements

Adding an extra defensive reinforcement comes at a time when NEC is dealing with several roster issues. Bram Nuytinck and Philippe Sandler are currently out with injuries, while Deveron Fonville, Ahmetcan Kaplan, and Clement Bischoff have only partially returned to group training. Meanwhile, goalkeeper Gonzalo Crettaz is in a better position and appears ready for the resumption against Ajax, while question marks remain surrounding the fitness of Perr Schuurs and Ahmetcan Kaplan, making an extra pawn in the Nijmegen defense seem like no superfluous luxury.

Schreuder pointed out Bakker’s tactical flexibility while noting his primary position, mentioning that the danger with Mitchell is that he is deployable in many positions, though on the other hand that is an advantage. He is originally more of a defender, so that is where we will use him., the coach explained, mentioning that whether Bakker plays on the left, right, or center makes little difference to him.