New contract on the horizon for Blues midfielder

Birmingham City will open contract talks with Dutch midfielder Maikel Kieftenbeld in the near future, Vital Birmingham understands.

The 27 year-old appeared to have joined Derby County on the final day of the summer transfer window only for the deal to fall through due to an admin error on the player’s part.

Then manager Harry Redknapp was looking to trim his squad after an array of signings but since his departure, Kieftenbeld has been an ever present for successor Steve Cotterill who is keen to keep him at St. Andrews.

A source close to the club confirmed that Kieftenbeld has been earmarked for a new deal – although talks have not yet commenced.

The Dalfsen born man joined the club in July 2015 from Dutch side FC Groningen and is contracted until June.

Kieftenbeld recent told the Birmingham Mail– ‘I always enjoyed playing for this club, I think I have showed it on the pitch, I gave my all in every game and I really like to play for Birmingham City.”

Former Blues boss Gary Rowett who tried to sign the player for his current club Derby County told the Derby Telegraph– “They`ve (Blues) had a new manager go in and I`m sure with Maikel having played most of their games since and actually been one of their better players, in my opinion, over that period, will Birmingham want to lose one of their better players in the position they`re in at the moment? I`d say probably not’.

Rowett continued- “And in the meantime, we`ve (Derby) signed Joe Ledley, who has had a fabulous effect on our team. His record is sensational, really. So I think things have changed massively. It doesn`t mean to say we don`t still like someone like Maikel as a player. But he is Birmingham`s player and we won`t divulge really what we`re going to do with anything but I think that was probably something at that time that was more pressing than it necessarily is now.”