Mitchel Bakker signed a contract with NEC Nijmegen until the end of the current season, joining the Eredivisie club on a free transfer after leaving Atalanta during the summer, viva.co.id reported. The 26-year-old Dutch defender brings experience from three major European leagues to the Goffertstadion, where he will wear the number 5 shirt.
NEC Nijmegen Secures Free Transfer for Former Ajax Defender
Bakker completed his move to the Nijmegen club after spending the previous weeks training with the squad during their winter-style camp in Estepona, Spain. NEC holds a unilateral option to extend his contract by an additional year at the end of the season. Technical director Carlos Aalbers highlighted the defender’s background at the highest levels of European football as a vital addition for the squad.
“Mitchel has played at the highest level, in three major European leagues,” Aalbers stated, pointing to the player’s versatility across defensive and midfield positions. Bakker began his professional journey through the Ajax academy before moving to Paris Saint-Germain in 2019. His career path subsequently took him to Bayer Leverkusen, Lille OSC, and Atalanta.
Immediate Eligibility and Upcoming Eredivisie Fixtures
Club officials confirmed that Bakker is fully eligible to feature immediately in Dick Schreuder’s lineup. His registration timing opens the possibility of an immediate debut against his boyhood club, Ajax, at the Johan Cruijff ArenA in Amsterdam. The fixture places the defender directly in line to face the organization where he first developed his professional credentials before launching his international career.
During his time abroad, Bakker made 45 appearances for Paris Saint-Germain and 70 matches for Bayer Leverkusen, recording five goals and seven assists across those stints. In 2022, Louis van Gaal named him to the preliminary Netherlands squad for the FIFA World Cup, though he ultimately missed the final tournament selection and has yet to earn a senior international cap.
Broader Context in Dutch and Indonesian Football Circles
The arrival of a high-profile defender in Nijmegen drew additional interest from Indonesian football supporters, given the club’s recent history with national team players like Calvin Verdonk. While Bakker establishes himself in the Dutch top flight, discussions around national team compositions continue to shape regional headlines following recent international tournaments across the continent.
