Derby County set to seal £600k Dutch transfer deal | OneFootball

The Rams are nearing their fourth signing of the summer transfer window

Derby County are set to seal their fourth summer transfer capture in the form of AZ Alkmaar midfielder Kenzo Goudmijn, who is closing in on a switch to the East Midlands.

The Rams returned to the Championship at the second time of asking in 2023/24 and have displayed a proactive nature to their transfer business after achieving automatic promotion from the third tier.

While the Pride Park faithful will invariably clamour for further additions, Paul Warne has already added two experienced frontmen to his squad in Kayden Jackson and Jerry Yates, alongside the signing of utility player and boyhood Rams supporter Ben Osborn from Sheffield United.

In particular, Derby have been desperate to bolster their ranks in midfield following promotion and the return - for now - of loan star Ebou Adams to Cardiff City, a deal which they are unsurprisingly looking to make permanent given the Gambia international's influence during the second half of the season.

However, Derby have reportedly missed out on the signing of Icelandic midfielder Stefán Teitur Thórdarson, who is believed to be closing in on a move to Championship rivals Preston North End. Nonetheless, they're now set to finally add another midfielder to their ranks by signing Goudmijn.

Derby County set to sign AZ Alkmaar's Kenzo Goudmijn

According to journalist Ian Baker on X, Goudmijn has agreed a four-year deal with Derby and will undertake a medical today ahead of a £600,000 transfer to the Rams.

The 22-year-old came through the AZ Alkmaar academy and is still contracted to the two-time Eredivisie champions as things stand, although the majority of his short career to date has been spent with their reserve side in the second division or out on loan with Excelsior.

Having previously made over 50 appearances for Excelsior on loan between January 2022 and June 2023, Goudmijn penned another loan deal with the club in January and returned one goal and four assists from 23 matches, but it wasn't enough as they were ultimately relegated.

Kenzo Goudmijn may be an unknown quantity, but there's plenty to be excited about for Derby County

Many players have tried and failed to make the grade in English football after moving from the Eredivisie in years gone by, so there is perhaps an element of caution to be applied to the Goudmijn signing.

He's also an unknown quantity, but the likelihood suggests that it won't stay that way for long. The former Netherlands youth international posted some seriously impressive numbers for a team who were relegated last season, with his dribbling metrics appearing particularly impressive.

Derby lack a dynamic ball-carrying presence in midfield and Goudmijn, who can play in a variety of roles across the middle of the park, could do exactly that. It'll be interesting to see how Warne decides to utilise him in 2024/25, that's for sure.

It's unlikely that the arrival of Goudmijn spells the end of their persistent pursuit of Cardiff's Adams given that they're two markedly different midfield operators, and that's another capture that Derby should really seal in the weeks to come.