Ex-Premier League defender Erik Pieters has completed a transfer to Championship side Derby County.
The deal comes two months after the January transfer window closed.
The Dutch international has signed a deal with the Rams until the end of the 2024/25 season.
Pieters, now 36, does not have long left of this season with Derby County, but the move comes after he had been training with John Eustace’s squad for the past few weeks.
He had also been training with Middlesbrough before making the decision to join Eustace’s side.
In a club statement, it read: “Pieters, a free agent since the conclusion of his short-term deal with Luton Town earlier this term, brings added depth at left-back and centre-back for the remainder of the Sky Bet Championship season.
“He has made over 550 club career appearances, including 304 in English football for Stoke City, Burnley and West Bromwich Albion.”
Pieters has spent time at various English clubs, with Derby his fifth.
Having started his career at Utrecht before a move to PSV, Pieters transferred to Stoke City in 2013 for six years before departing for Burnley.
At PSV he played almost 150 games for the club and is experienced in Champions League and Europa League football.
He also enjoyed a loan spell at former Ligue 1 side Amiens before permanently penning a deal with Burnley.
At international level, the defender won 14 senior caps for the Netherlands between 2010 and 2014.
He was also part of the youth squad that won the UEFA European Under-21 Championship in 2007.
Speaking to his new club in an interview, Pieters said: “I’ve been to other places this season, I was with Luton in pre-season and in December and January.
“Before I came here, I had also trained with Middlesbrough. Then the gaffer sent me a message saying: “What’s your situation?” I was still a free agent, and I’m ready to go. I have trained with the lads – and the gaffer was pleased with it.
“I’m in that transition period in my career, but I have still felt ready to play. I was in contact with John Eustace earlier in the season when he was at Blackburn Rovers.
“Then, out of the blue, he just messaged me when he was at Derby and it’s been really good for me.”
On his first few weeks with the club, he said: “It’s a great group. It’s been good fun, and the group is all really determined in what they do. I’m looking forward to being part of that and helping Derby to stay in the league.
“I think I can help the team out with my experience. Behind the scenes, I will be helping everyone through these eight games. It was really important to stay in the league.
“Everyone knows that if you have wins on the board, it helps the momentum going.
“It’s just a shame that there’s a break in between matches recently, an international break. But the lads are looking good, and everyone is ready for the final eight games.”
