Confirmed: Derby County player leaves Pride Park - many Rams fans are feeling the same about it | OneFootball

Kenzo Goudmijn has joined Go Ahead Eagles on loan for the remainder of the season

Despite the English summer transfer window slamming shut on Monday evening, Derby County confirmed yet another player exit on Thursday, with Kenzo Goudmijn joining Eredivisie outfit Go Ahead Eagles for the remainder of the season.

The Rams have been one of the Championship's most active clubs when it comes to incomings and outgoings across the summer as John Eustace looks to progress his side up the second-tier table after eventually achieving survival on the final day of last season following promotion from League One.

It has been a slightly underwhelming start to the campaign for those at Pride Park despite a whole host of fresh faces moving to this part of the East Midlands, with Derby still in search of their first three points of the season after picking up two draws and as many defeats in the opening month of August.

There is hope that, after the current two-week gap in which the 45-year-old can continue to convey his messages to plenty of new signings and those already at the club, everything will click into place and the Rams can make strides of progress.

However, that will all be done without Goudmijn's services as, just a year after signing for the club under Paul Warne from AZ Alkmaar on a four-year contract for an undisclosed fee, the central midfielder is returning to the Netherlands on a temporary basis.

Kenzo Goudmijn struggled during his first season at Derby County following AZ Alkmaar switch

At the age of just 22 at the time of his move to the Championship from the Dutch top-flight, there was plenty of excitement surrounding Goudmijn's current ability and future potential in the Rams' engine room, especially when factoring in the aforementioned contract length.

It initially looked like Derby had pulled off a significant transfer coup in the early weeks of last season with the former Dutch youth international flourishing in the middle of the park, which included goals in back-to-back home victories against Bristol City and Cardiff City.

He would remain a mainstay in the starting lineup alongside the likes of Ebou Adams for the remainder of Warne's tenure despite a significant drop-off in personal output and overall form for the East Midlands side as they found themselves in a precarious position at the turn of the year.

To his credit, Goudmijn also registered two assists against Portsmouth and West Bromwich Albion during another mini 'purple patch' last December, before his season fizzled out, often being utilised as a substitute following Eustace's appointment in mid-February.

Derby County supporters are all saying the same thing as Kenzo Goudmijn heads for Go Ahead Eagles

It is clear that, on his day, Goudmijn possesses some really strong technical attributes that will be more suited to a division such as the Eredivisie, whereas the Championship is way more robust and demanding, largely down to the unrelenting nature of three games in a week for large portions of the campaign.

Unsurprisingly, this is the outlook which many supporters have taken as his move to the side who are competing in this season's UEFA Europa League 'League Phase', including a home tie against Aston Villa on October 23rd, was confirmed via Derby's official X account.

One supporter posted: No luck needed. A classy player. Have a great loan Kenzo and come back to Rams after showing everyone what you can do. I will be following you."

Another shared a similar point of view, stating: "shame it didn’t work, hopefully he can come back stronger."

This was the general consensus, although some fans feel that Goudmijn remains a little bit of an 'enigma' among the squad, with one Rams fan saying: "Right decision for all parties, convinced he’s a talented layer but not worked out for us sadly. Still unsure of what his best position is, wish the lad well."

Clearly there is very little ill-feeling towards the player for his struggles donning the black and white colours in the latter stages of last season and the early weeks of the current campaign, where he made three appearances before being omitted from the matchday squad for last weekend's 2-2 draw with Ipswich Town.

A strong run of form at De Adelaarshorst could present Derby with a dilemma, as it is so often the case that players will find themselves reintegrated into the manager/head coaches' plans. However, given that Goudmijn's attributes aren't necessarily suited to the second-tier, it would be ideal for the Rams to cash in with two years left on his deal next June.