Former PSG player Mitchel Bakker is going through a difficult period in his career. A free agent since the end of his spell with Atalanta, the 26-year-old Dutch left-back is still looking for a new club after being sidelined by a serious injury. He has now been handed an opportunity in the Netherlands with NEC Nijmegen, where he will have to prove himself during a trial period.
Four years after leaving Paris Saint-Germain, Mitchel Bakker is trying to revive his career. The Dutch defender is currently without a contract following the end of his time with Atalanta. It is a somewhat unexpected situation for a player who, at just 26, already has considerable experience at the highest level in Europe, having played for Ajax, PSG, Bayer Leverkusen, Atalanta and Lille.
A serious injury halted Bakker’s progress
PSG supporters will certainly remember him. Signed on a free transfer from Ajax in 2019, Bakker gradually earned playing time in Paris, particularly under Thomas Tuchel, and was part of the squad that reached the Champions League final in 2020. He eventually left PSG in 2021 for Bayer Leverkusen before later joining Atalanta and returning to Ligue 1 with Lille during the 2024-2025 season.
However, his career was then seriously disrupted by a cruciate ligament injury. After returning to Italy, Bakker endured an almost completely lost season, playing only eight minutes against Bologna before becoming a free agent at the end of his contract with Atalanta. The former PSG defender is now hoping to get his career back on track in his home country.
According to Voetbal International, Bakker has been allowed to train with NEC Nijmegen and will spend several days with the squad to demonstrate that he has recovered physically and can still contribute at a high level. The trial could lead to a contract until the end of the season and give him the continuity he desperately needs. At just 26, Bakker now finds himself at an important crossroads as he attempts to put months of injury problems behind him and secure a fresh start in the Netherlands.
