Schalke swoop for Huntelaar
Published: 31 Aug 2010 - 09:00:38
Klaas Jan Huntelaar has become the first big-name player to move clubs on the final day of the current transfer window after joining Bundesliga club Schalke from AC Milan.
The Holland international, 27, has made a £13million euros switch to Gelsenkirchen - joining former Real Madrid team-mate Raul, who signed earlier this summer.
Schalke boss Felix Magath told Bild newspaper: "Negotiations were tougher than expected. I am happy to have Klaas Jan. He will help us."
Huntelaar has failed to fully establish himself at first Real and then Milan since leaving Ajax in January 2009, scoring 15 goals in 50 appearances in that time.
But he was prolific during his time in Amsterdam, finding the net 80 times in 104 games after joining from Eerstedivisie side AGOVV Apeldoorn.
"Klaas Jan wants to continue his career at Schalke. Schalke and Milan have agreed on a transfer fee of about ?13 million," read an article on his personal website, www.klaasjanhuntelaar.com.
"It is true I never wanted to leave Milan but that changed when Zlatan Ibrahimovic came from Barcelona," he said.
Schalke have moved to liven up their side after losing their opening two Bundesliga games of the season.
