Sport
BREAKING: Birmingham City suffer setback in proposed £2.1m transfer deal
Birmingham City’s proposed move for Dutch defender Mike Eerdhuijzen has broken down.
According to Birmingham Live, the centre-back will not be moving to St. Andrew’s from Sparta Rotterdam this summer unless a fresh twist can revive the deal.
Eerdhuijzen emerged as a transfer target over the course of last weekend, with it being reported in the Netherlands that a €2.5 million (£2.1 million) deal had been agreed between the two clubs.
The 23-year-old was an exciting potential arrival for Chris Davies’ squad in League One given his recent experience.
Eerdhuijzen has made 44 league appearances in the Eredivisie over the last two seasons, including 27 starts.
| Mike Eerdhuijzen – Sparta Rotterdam league appearances by season (per Fbref.com) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Appearances (Starts) | ||
| 2022-23 | 25 (12) | ||
| 2023-24 | 19 (15) | ||
Birmingham City’s Mike Eerdhuijzen transfer collapse
Eerdhuijzen was closing in on a move to Birmingham earlier this week, but it’s believed a stumbling block has been reached that has seen talks break down.
The League One side held talks with the defender, and even showed him around the training ground on Monday as part of negotiations.
However, it is now expected that he will not be moving to the third tier side after a breakdown in discussions.
It remains unclear why a stumbling block was reached between the club and Eerdhuijzen.
But it is understood that Birmingham will now move onto other transfer targets, as Davies looks to build a team capable of fighting for automatic promotion straight back to the Championship next season.
Rangers defender Connor Goldson has already been linked with a move to St. Andrew’s this summer, having fallen down the pecking order of the Scottish giants.
Other targets are now also likely to emerge following this latest development involving Eerdhuijzen, who will return to Sparta Rotterdam.
The Dutch side have already signed Teo Quintero as a replacement for the 23-year-old, indicating his future still lies away from the Eredivisie outfit.
Birmingham City’s ambitious summer transfer plans
The Blues have already made three additions to their squad this summer, and will continue to eye targets that can improve their defence.
Alife May was confirmed on Tuesday as their third new signing of the transfer window, following the arrivals of Bailey Peacock-Farrell and Ryan Allsop.
Charlton Athletic had agreed a deal with Huddersfield Town for the forward, but Birmingham stepped up their interest by gazumping the deal.
It has been reported that the League One outfit paid £775,000 to sign May, who bagged 23 goals for the Addicks in the third tier last year.
Mike Eerdhuijzen transfer collapse is disappointing for Birmingham
Eerdhuijzen looked like a very promising potential signing for Birmingham, and showed their ambition despite dropping down to League One.
The centre-back is an Eredivisie-level talent, so his interest in signing for a third tier club came as a surprise.
It remains to be seen why the move has collapsed, but it will be a concern for supporters if it is Birmingham’s fault that a move hasn’t come to fruition.
This development may mean a pursuit of Goldson is even more likely, as Davies is likely to want to strengthen his defensive options this summer for life in League One next season.
