Derby County completed the signing of midfielder Kenzo Goudmijn in July 2024.
He can play in a variety of positions across the middle of the pitch and linked up with the Rams from side Dutch top-flight side AZ Alkmaar.
Derby paid an undisclosed fee for his services and he penned a four-year deal until the summer of 2028.
Goudmijn arrived at Pride Park Stadium after putting 76 appearances to his name in top level football in
his homeland, alongside four goals and four assists, as well over 100
outings, with eight goals and 12 assists, in the second tier.
After progressing through the
youth ranks at AZ Alkmaar, Goudmijn moved through the age groups and
eventually reached Jong AZ, the club’s reserve side.
His form at youth level saw him rewarded with his senior debut as
a substitute at the age of 17 at the end of the 2018/19 season,
followed by a further outing off the bench in 2019/20.
He made a handful of senior appearances for the club in the
Eredivisie for his boyhood club in the 2020/21 campaign and spent time
on loan at top-flight side Sparta Rotterdam in the 2021/22 season.
Goudmijn spent the 2022/23 season on loan at Excelsior Rotterdam
and gained significant top-flight experience during the campaign,
playing 34 times.
He spent the first half of the 2023/24 season back with AZ Alkmaar and made appearances in the Eredivisie and the UEFA Conference League.
The midfielder returned to Excelsior Rotterdam on loan for the
second half of the campaign and, despite some fine displays, he was
unable to help them avoid relegation via the play-offs in a 7-6
aggregate loss to NAC Breda.
Goudmijn has been capped by the Netherlands at Under-16, Under-17, Under-18 and Under-19 level, earning 27 caps and scoring twice in the process, and was a UEFA European Under-17 Championship winner in 2018.
