Media reports in Spain claim that La Liga champions Real Madrid have completed the signing of Dutch playmaker Rafael Van der Vaart.
A fee of nine million euros has reportedly been agreed with his Bundesliga club Hamburg for the midfielder, who is out of contract at the end of this season.
Under the deal Real Madrid will also get a bonus which will vary depending on the performance of the 25-year-old midfielder, whose mother is Spanish, the radio station added.
Real coach Bernd Schuster has publicly stated his determination to sign the playmaker and pair him in midfield with Wesley Sneijder, a partnership which lit up the Euro 2008 finals this summer.
Last week Hamburg boss Dietmar Beiersdorfer said the German side had rejected an offer of seven million euros for the Dutchman who has made no secret of his desire to play for a major European club.
But Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon said in an interview published Wednesday that the Spanish side was close to signing the player.
“He is a player that Schuster and the coaching staff like a lot and the deal is close. We are waiting to reach a definitive agreement with Hamburg, but it shouldn’t be difficult,” he told Spanish sports daily AS.
Cadena Ser said the player would be officially unveiled as a Real Madrid player on Monday.
Van der Vaart has publicly stated he is happy to play another season at the north German club.
Source: http://www.footballnewsblog.co.uk
A fee of nine million euros has reportedly been agreed with his Bundesliga club Hamburg for the midfielder, who is out of contract at the end of this season.
Under the deal Real Madrid will also get a bonus which will vary depending on the performance of the 25-year-old midfielder, whose mother is Spanish, the radio station added.
Real coach Bernd Schuster has publicly stated his determination to sign the playmaker and pair him in midfield with Wesley Sneijder, a partnership which lit up the Euro 2008 finals this summer.
Last week Hamburg boss Dietmar Beiersdorfer said the German side had rejected an offer of seven million euros for the Dutchman who has made no secret of his desire to play for a major European club.
But Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon said in an interview published Wednesday that the Spanish side was close to signing the player.
“He is a player that Schuster and the coaching staff like a lot and the deal is close. We are waiting to reach a definitive agreement with Hamburg, but it shouldn’t be difficult,” he told Spanish sports daily AS.
Cadena Ser said the player would be officially unveiled as a Real Madrid player on Monday.
Van der Vaart has publicly stated he is happy to play another season at the north German club.
Source: http://www.footballnewsblog.co.uk