Danny Buijs, Kilmarnock’s latest signing, was delighted to seal his move abroad after loyalty to Den Haag, then a health scare for his wife, denied him a transfer to Derby County.
The former Feyenoord midfield player has signed a one-year contract at Rugby Park, 12 months after a move to Derby fell through. The 29-year-old helped Den Haag to qualify for this season’s Europa League but remained eager to leave Holland for the first time and was unveiled as Kenny Shiels’s sixth summer signing yesterday.
Buijs, who played more than 50 times in two spells at Feyenoord, said: “The first time Derby tried to sign me was when Den Haag were in the relegation position and I was the captain and I couldn’t leave, so I asked Derby to come back in the summer, only for there to be concerns with my wife. Her health is better so this is my chance to play abroad. I now look forward to helping Kilmarnock into the top six.”
Shiels, the Kilmarnock manager, said. “He was attracted by the way we play and what we can do for his career and I take great pride in that.”
Andrew Little, the versatile Northern Ireland international, has signed a new one-year contract with Rangers. The 22-year-old had opened negotiations last season, but a hip problem derailed talks as he was out of action from October.
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Heart of Midlothian have vowed to offer Lee Wallace a new contract after rejecting a second offer from Rangers for the Scotland left back. Rangers are said to have bid £1 million this week but Hearts are keen to hold on to the 23-year-old, who has one year left on his contract. “Lee is one of the top players in the country,” Sergejus Fedotovas, a Hearts director, said.
Motherwell had double cause to celebrate after Steve Jennings signed a new contract hours after the club unveiled new signing Nicky Law. Jennings, who had attracted interest from Aberdeen and Hearts, has signed a one-year deal while Law penned a two-year contract after the expiry of his deal with Rotherham United.
St Mirren have signed Gary Teale, the Scotland international winger, from Sheffield Wednesday. Teale, 33, was keen to return north after almost ten years in England.