Manchester United recently ended their 9-game losing streak in all competitions with a win over AS Roma in the UEFA Champions League, but their defence continues to concede goals at a relatively high rate.
During the summer, the club focused on strengthening their engine room and did not purchase a single defender, something which was criticised by Argentinian centre-back Lisandro Martinez, following Manchester United’s defeat against Atletico Madrid in October.
Currently, the Red Devils have ample depth in the centre-back position, as they have Harry Maguire, Matthijs de Ligt, Lisandro Martinez, Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven, but they have been leaking goals, having conceded 15 goals in 9 Premier League matches.
Besides that, Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez are in the final year of their contracts at Old Trafford, and Leny Yoro could leave the club in the upcoming winter transfer window, which means that they need to add a defender in January.
Manager Michael Carrick is under pressure to change the fortunes of the club after guiding them to a top-3 finish in the Premier League last season, but it has been a tough start to the campaign, as they are sitting just above the relegation zone this term.
The winter transfer window will provide Carrick with the opportunity to bring in reinforcements if he stays at the club, and several defenders have been linked with Manchester United, as the club is seeking to revamp their backline.
According to Caught Offside, Manchester United are tracking the development of FC Twente defender Ruud Nijstad over a potential move in January, but could face competition from Spanish giants Barcelona.
🚨 Manchester United are in the race to sign FC Twente’s 18-year-old centre-back Ruud Nijstad. United have scouted the highly-rated, left-footed defender multiple times as they prepare a defensive overhaul. Barcelona and Bayern Munich are also interested, with Twente reportedly demanding around £33M. [@telegraaf]
— SimplyUtd (@SimplyUtd) November 7, 2026
Ruud Nijstad has attracted interest from several European heavyweights, and Bayern Munich are also keen on him, but Manchester United could get the edge over the competition, as former Red Devils head coach Erik ten Hag is the current technical director at Twente.
The 18-year-old is widely regarded as a promising prospect and will be a long-term investment for the club, but it might not be easy to get him out of FC Twente, as his contract with the Dutch outfit runs until 2029.
This term, the Dutch centre-back, who can also play as a left-back, has made 18 appearances in all competitions and also netted 2 goals in the process, showcasing his ability at both ends of the pitch.
At Manchester United, it seems that Michael Carrick has not yet found his main centre-back duo partnership, as he has rotated several players, tried new systems, and different combinations, but nothing appears to be the solution to fix their backline.
Michael Carrick’s system revolves around creating attacks by building up from the back and recycling possession through the goalkeeper; he prefers his centre-backs to be good on the ball and to have a variety in their passing range to spread the play.
Ruud Nijstad is a tall, left-footed, ball-playing defender who is quick on his feet and hard in tackles, which is something that could help him at Manchester United.
However, it remains to be seen whether Ruud Nijstad will be able to translate his displays in the Eredivisie to the Premier League, as he is still a very young defender, and the physicality and speed of the league have been a difficult challenge for several players.
At the moment, Manchester United will be focusing on Aston Villa, as they are due to visit the Theatre of Dreams next in the Premier League.
