Mees Hilgers absent as FC Twente contract runs to 2027

Defender Mees Hilgers has not attended FC Twente’s first training session of the new season, intensifying an ongoing dispute over his contract. The disagreement follows an automatic extension of his deal until mid‑2027 after he failed to terminate it before the 16 May deadline.

FC Twente announced at the end of May that Hilgers’ contract would be prolonged by one season, pushing its expiry to mid‑2027. The extension triggered automatically because Hilgers did not submit a termination notice before 16 May.

The club began its pre‑season preparations on 22 June, expecting Hilgers to join the rest of the squad. At that time the defender was in the final stage of his rehabilitation but remained absent without explanation.

"Mees Hilgers is contract player of FC Twente. He should have been at training," the club said in response to the regional newspaper. The statement added that the club intends to discuss the matter with Hilgers directly.

Hilgers suffered a cruciate ligament rupture in November 2025, after which he started his recovery process. The ongoing contractual dispute meant he could not take part in matches even after his injury.

To date Hilgers has made 132 appearances for FC Twente’s first team. The club indicated that this total is unlikely to increase while the conflict remains unresolved.