Championship strugglers Sunderland and Hull City are both lining up moves for Birmingham City midfielder Maikal Kieftenbeld, as per a report by the Birmingham Mail.
The 27 year-old nearly joined Derby County on deadline day in the summer but a move to the Rams fell through. He has fought his way back into the Birmingham team under Steve Cotterill but could finally make a move away from St.Andrews in this January transfer window.
His contract at Birmingham expires in the summer and with the club’s shirt-term future up in the air, it is yet to be known whether or not he will sign a new deal yet. This has left the likes of Sunderland and Hull City on red alert.
Both Sunderland and Hull are also being thereatened with relegation to League One this season and will be battling it out to stay up this season after a poor start to their seasons. They were both relegated from the Premier League last season too, which shows how hard it is when you come down.
The Blues could be reluctant to sell Kieftenbeld to one of their rivals, however, they may have to sell him in January to ensure they’d get a fee for him and will not lose him on a free transfer in the summer.
Kieftenbeld joined the Blues from Eredivisie side FC Groningen in 2015. He has since become a key player for them and one that they will not want to see leave. He would be a decent signing for either Sunderland or Hull.
