Sky Bet Championship side Birmingham City have today announced that Dutch midfielder Maikel Kieftenbeld has put pen to paper on a brand new two-year deal with the option of a further year in the clubs favour. 

In August the dynamic midfielder was on the verge of joining former Blues manager Gary Rowett at Derby County after former Blues boss Harry Redknapp told him that he was no longer required at St.Andrew's, making him surplus to requirements. 

At the time of his impending departure, it was believed that the Rams would be paying Blues around £300,000 for the former Gronigen man, a price tag that shocked many Blues fans, but after a technical hitch with the paperwork, Kieftenbeld saw his move to the iPro Stadium denied and back to Birmingham he went, much to the delight of all the fans in B9.

​A vital cog

Since his return to St.Andrew's, Kieftenbeld has been a vital cog in the midfield under manager Steve Cotterill and it is hard to think where they could be had the Dutch midfielder not been there in the last five months. 

So far this season Kieftenbeld has managed to clock up 22 appearances for Blues, the large majority coming under Cotterill who rates him as highly as the Blues fans do, scoring once in the Carabao Cup defeat to Premier League side AFC Bournemouth all the way back in August. 

Making up a midfield three of himself, David Davis and Craig Gardner, the newly pledged destructive midfielder has been involved in Blues' up turn in fortunes in recent weeks with three wins in their last four games and it is fair to say that Kieftenbeld's drive and desire to win the fans back over and show his commitment to the club have been duely appreciated. 

Speaking in December, Kieftenbeld told the clubs official programme that what went on in his transfer saga with Derby was a 'strange situation' going on to say, "Nobody did anything wrong to me here. I like this club, Birmingham have always been good to me, and I just want to play football."

Kieftenbeld's original contract was due to expire in the summer but his new deal will now keep him with the Blues until the summer of 2020 at least. 

During his time with the club, Kieftenbeld has made 109 appearances in all competitions, scoring five times.