The EFL refused to ratify Maikel Kieftenbeld’s move from Birmingham City to Derby County on transfer deadline day.
Derby County boss Gary Rowett admitted that the Rams might have thought twice about loaning Craig Bryson out to Cardiff City if they knew a replacement was not forthcoming.
According to the Derby Telegraph, the Championship side did not complete the signing of Birmingham City midfielder Maikal Kieftenbeld before the transfer deadline, with the the EFL allegedly refusing to ratify the deal despite it already being confirmed by Derby.
This was a huge blow to Rowett, who had brought Kieftenbeld to Birmingham from Eredivisie side Groningen two years ago. The 27-year-old, a combative midfielder who likes a challenge, would have added some much-needed steel to a Derby midfield that looked defensively weak last season.
However, the saga may not be over yet, with Rowett insisting that the January transfer window gives Derby fresh hope that a deal can finally be done.
“I think we will have to revisit the deal from a moral perspective and also from a perspective that the player would have given us something different,” Rowett told the Derby Telegraph. “It is a difficult one for him (Kieftenbeld) to have to go back.
“We will look at that again although he could get back in Birmingham’s team and do fantastic for them.”
Rowett has a point. If Kieftenbeld impresses Blues boss Harry Redknapp between now and January, helping to galvanise a team that has struggled for consistency in the early weeks of the campaign, they would surely have reservations about letting a key player leave for a club they may have considered play-off rivals at the start of August.
Yet, it is fair to say Kieftenbeld has not enjoyed the best start to the season, being sent off in a 2-1 win against Bristol City before failing to impress in a goalless draw with Bolton and a home defeat to Reading.
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