Erik Pieters, a former defender for the Premier League, has successfully completed his transfer to Derby County, a club in the Championship.
The transaction takes place two months after the transfer window that was closed in January.
A contract that will keep the Dutch international with the Rams until the conclusion of the 2024–2025 season has been signed.
Pieters, who is now 36 years old, does not have much time left to play for Derby County this season; however, the move comes after he had been training with John Eustace’s squad for about a month prior to the announcement.
Additionally, prior to making the decision to join Eustace’s team, he had been participating in training sessions with Middlesbrough.
“Pieters, who has been a free agent since the conclusion of his short-term deal with Luton Town earlier this season, brings added depth at left-back and centre-back for the remainder of the Sky Bet Championship season,” read a statement released by the club.
“He has made over 550 club career appearances, including 304 in English football for Stoke City, Burnley and West Bromwich Albion.”
There have been a number of English clubs that Pieters has played for, with Derby being his fifth.
Having begun his professional career at Utrecht, Pieters later moved to PSV. In 2013, he made the move to Stoke City, where he remained for a period of six years before leaving for Burnley.
During his time at PSV, he participated in nearly 150 matches for the club and has experience playing in both the Champions League and the Europa League.
Before signing a permanent contract with Burnley, he also had a successful loan stint with Amiens, a club that had previously competed in Ligue 1.
Between the years 2010 and 2014, the defender was awarded a total of fourteen senior caps for the Netherlands at the international level.
Additionally, he was a member of the youth team that ultimately triumphed at the UEFA European Under-21 Championship in the year 2007.
During an interview with his new club, Pieters stated, “I’ve been to other places this season, I was with Luton in pre-season and in December and January.” Pieters was referring to his past experiences with other clubs.
Prior to my arrival at this location, I had also participated in training with Middlesbrough. After that, the gaffer sent me a message that asked, “What is your current situation to be?” I am currently a free agent, and I am prepared to move forward. I have had the opportunity to train with the guys, and the gaffer was pleased with the results.
“Although I am currently in a period of transition in my career, I have still felt that I am prepared to play. Earlier in the season, when John Eustace was playing for Blackburn Rovers, I had the opportunity to communicate with him.
“Then, out of the blue, he just messaged me when he was at Derby and it’s been really good for me.”
As he was beginning his time with the club, he made the following statement: “It’s a great group. It has been a lot of fun, and everyone in the group is very determined to succeed in what they are doing. It is very exciting for me to be a part of that and to assist Derby in maintaining their position in the league.
I believe that my experience will be able to be of assistance to the team. Throughout these eight games, I will be providing assistance to everyone playing behind the scenes. Keeping one’s place in the league was of the utmost importance.
When you have wins on the board, it helps to keep the momentum going, which is something that everyone is aware of.
The fact that there has been a break in between matches recently, specifically an international break, is a great disappointment. It appears that the boys are in good shape, and everyone is prepared to compete in the remaining eight games.
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