Real Madrid agree to sign Huntelaar from Ajax

Mark ELKINGTON

Real Madrid have reached an agreement to sign Netherlands striker Klaas Jan Huntelaar from Ajax Amsterdam, the Spanish champions said on Tuesday.

The 25-year-old, who will sign a contract until 2013, will not be available for Real until January when he will be available to replace compatriot Ruud van Nistelrooy, who has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee injury.

In a separate statement, Ajax said Real would pay up to 27 million euros ($34.4 million), made up of a 20 million euro fixed payment and a 7 million euro variable payment.

Huntelaar's first appearance for the side will depend on how quickly he recovers from an ankle injury that has sidelined him since the beginning of last month.

"I grant Klaas Jan this transfer, though we preferred to finish this season with him," Ajax coach Marco van Basten was quoted as saying in a statement.

The news will come as a much needed lift for an injury-ravaged Real Madrid who have put in a string of unimpressive performances recently.

They were dumped out of the King's Cup by third tier Real Union, lost home and away to Juventus in the Champions League, and in the league suffered morale-sapping defeats against modest Real Valladolid and Getafe.

They have slipped down to fourth in the standings, six points behind leaders Barcelona and have up to eight first team players out injured.

Huntelaar will be competing with Raul and Gonzalo Higuain for a place in the starting line up.

Javier Saviola does not appear to have the confidence of coach Bernd Schuster and rarely features.

MADRID, Wednesday Reuters