A youth product of ADO Den Haag, he made over 150 appearances for the club between 2013 and 2020 before spending later spells with Roda JC and NAC Breda. Having joined Telstar in 2023, Bakker played a key role in their promotion to the Eredivisie in 2025, ending the club's 47-year absence from the top flight. Internationally, he has represented the Netherlands under-21s.
Bakker came through the local ranks at JuVentaS and HVV Laakkwartier in The Hague before joining the ADO Den Haag academy at under-13 level. On 20 February 2013, aged 17, he signed his first professional contract with ADO.[1] He made his senior debut on 16 March 2013 in a home league match against Vitesse, and scored his first Eredivisie goal on 26 October 2013, opening the scoring in a 3–2 home win over Twente.[2] He completed his HAVO diploma that same year.[3]
Injury disrupted his progress in the 2014–15 season: after recovering from a metatarsal fracture that curtailed pre-season, he missed further time with a back problem but returned to first-team action before the winter break in a fixture against Heerenveen.[4][5]
Bakker extended his contract with ADO in May 2015, committing to the club until 2018.[6][7] He became a regular under head coach Henk Fraser during the 2015–16 Eredivisie campaign and decided the away match at AZ on 4 December 2015 with the only goal in a 1–0 victory.[8][9]
He remained a fixture in the side in the 2016–17 season and, at the end of 2017, further extended his deal through 30 June 2021.[10] Under Alfons Groenendijk in 2017–18 he was a consistent starter in central midfield and was occasionally deployed in defence.[11][12] The following season he continued as a mainstay, and before kick-off against Vitesse on 30 March 2019 he was recognised for making his 150th official appearance for ADO's first team.[13]
Loan to Roda JC
Bakker joined Eerste Divisie club Roda JC Kerkrade on loan for the 2020–21 season in October 2020.[14] He made his debut for the club on 10 October, coming on as a substitute in a 2–1 away loss to Almere City.[15][16] On 14 November, he scored his first goal for Roda in a 2–0 derby victory against MVV.[17] He was a regular starter that season for Roda, scoring three goals in 34 total appearances.[12]
NAC Breda
On 21 July 2021, Bakker joined Eerste Divisie side NAC Breda on a free transfer, signing a two-year contract following the expiry of his ADO Den Haag deal at the end of his loan with Roda JC.[18] He made his competitive debut on the opening day of the 2021–22 season, starting in a 2–2 away draw against VVV-Venlo.[19] On 17 September, he scored his first goal for the club, equalising shortly before half-time in a 2–1 home defeat to Emmen.[20]
Bakker was a regular starter during his first season in Breda but was hampered by recurring injuries.[21] In September 2022, he suffered another setback that sidelined him for most of the campaign, returning only during the promotion play-offs.[22][23] Consequently, he made just two appearances in his second season with the club.[12]
Telstar
On 31 August 2023, Bakker joined Eerste Divisie club Telstar on an amateur contract.[24] He made his debut on 20 October, coming on as a substitute against former club NAC Breda in a 3–1 defeat. Establishing himself as a regular starter, he made 21 appearances in his first season and scored once—again against NAC, on 16 February 2024. On 29 May 2024, he signed a two-year professional contract with the club, extending his stay until 2026.[25][26]
Bakker opened the 2024–25 season with two goals in a 3–2 win over Vitesse on 9 August 2024.[27] He missed few minutes throughout the season, scoring six goals in league play and one in the KNVB Cup against Helmond Sport.[12][28] Bakker featured in all four matches of the promotion play-offs, scoring in the quarter-final against ADO Den Haag and semi-final against Den Bosch.[29] In the final against Willem II, he provided an assist in the second leg as Telstar secured promotion to the Eredivisie for the first time in 47 years.[30]
Bakker is a left-footed player who has mainly operated as a central or defensive midfielder, but later is his career has also been used at centre-back. At ADO Den Haag he was described by director of football Jeffrey van As as one of the club's important players, praised for his solid play and hard work and for being able to play in multiple positions.[6][9] Club statements on his move to NAC Breda later highlighted him as a left-footed central defender with excellent passing technique, capable of helping in the build-up and organising the rest of the defence.[18]
↑ "ADO lang zonder Danny Bakker"[ADO without Danny Bakker for a long time]. NOS (in Dutch). 16 October 2014. Archived from the original on 5 November 2025. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
↑ "ADO bindt Bakker voor drie jaar"[ADO sign Bakker to a new three-year deal]. Voetbal International (in Dutch). 1 May 2015. Archived from the original on 21 January 2025. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
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