Spanish champions Real Madrid have confirmed that Ajax striker Klaas Jan Huntelaar will join the club in January.
The 25-year-old will sign a deal until June 2013 subject to passing a medical.
According to the Ajax website, Huntelaar will join Madrid on January 2 for an initial €20million, rising to a potential €27million.
Madrid confirmed the deal in a statement posted on their own official website: ”Huntelaar is the new Real Madrid player. Real Madrid and Ajax Amsterdam have reached an agreement for the forward.
”As usual, the deal is dependent on the player passing a medical and the signing of his contract with Real Madrid. ‘Klaas Jan Huntelaar will be tied to Real Madrid until June 30, 2013.”
The deal will earn Dutch club Heerenveen around €2.5million as part of the agreement Ajax signed when they signed the player in 2005.
Ajax technical director Danny Blind confirmed that the deal was too good too turn down.
”We as a club wouldn’t make a deal if we weren’t satisfied with the details, but also with the timing of the transfer,” he said. ”We did our best to extend Klaas Jan’s contract, but we failed. His current contract runs for just one and a half years and we had to take that into account.
”After being at Ajax for three years it’s a nice step in his career. He absolutely deserves this transfer.”
Ajax coach Marco van Basten was less impressed with the timing of the transfer.
”I don’t begrudge him this transfer, but from a sporting perspective we would rather have seen him end the season here,” he said.
”Obviously when a club like Real Madrid comes in, it’s going to be very difficult to keep him. And as a club we must think of more than one player – it’s all about having a future-proof policy.”
Yesterday, Madrid president Ramon Calderon revealed the club were ”very close to signing a winger and a striker in January”.
He added: ”I’ve been told they are young and quick and they will come to reinforce the team.”
After joining Ajax in January 2005 Huntelaar has gone on to become one of the most prolific strikers in Europe, netting 76 goals in 92 league matches for the Amsterdam team and scoring 10 goals in 18 appearances for Holland.
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