FC Twente have closed the door on the departure of their young defender Roód Nistad, one of the most prominent rising talents in Dutch football, after manager Erik ten Hag confirmed the player had not requested to leave, despite strong interest from Barcelona and several major European clubs during the last summer transfer window.
Barcelona had tracked Nistad closely after the young defender caught the eye with his performances for Twente. The Dutch club insisted on keeping him, though, reasoning that the 18-year-old still needs to continue his development with the first team before thinking about a new step in his career.
Speaking to RTV Oost, Ten Hag admitted the interest from Europe's biggest names is well known inside the club. At the same time, he stressed that the defender had shown no desire to leave over the summer.
"There is great interest in Roód from very big clubs, and that is no secret," the Twente boss said, before clarifying the player's stance on his future. "He wants to stay here. We did not renew his contract by chance. He wants to continue his path here, at least during this season, to be successful with us, and then we will see what happens."
That stance reflects Twente's determination to hold on to their young defender. The club have already moved to protect his future, tying Nistad down last June to a deal running until 2029, keeping one of the brightest products of their academy out of reach of the bigger clubs and their temptations.
Barcelona were the club most clearly linked with Nistad through the summer window, showing serious interest in the Dutch centre-back. The Catalans went as far as submitting an offer approaching 8 million euros to seal the deal.
Twente turned it down. They wanted a larger fee, and their position never wavered from the moment talks began. Ten Hag was clear in rejecting any idea of parting with the player over the summer, especially given his desire to hand him a bigger role with the first team.