NINE YEARS AFTER departing Amsterdam, Dutch striker Klaas Jan Huntelaar has signed for Ajax once again, bringing an end to seven years playing in the Bundesliga.
The 33-year-old joins the Europa League finalists on a one year contract having spent seven seasons playing for Schalke.
Huntelaar spent three and a half seasons at the Amsterdam Arena between 2006 and 2008, scoring 105 goals in 136 appearances and featured alongside players such as Jaap Stam, Wesley Sneijder, Edgar Davids and Thomas Vermaelen.
On rejoining the Dutch giants, the forward said he was coming back to a club which has always been close to his heart.
โItโs no secret that Ajax is my club, so Iโm very glad to returnโ, he told the clubโs website.
โI feel very fit and Iโm already looking forward to the end of June when the preseason preparation begins.
โI won trophies with Ajax, but not the title. That is the goal at the end of the season.โ
Director of football Marc Overmars said that Huntelaar would bring competition to the clubโs attack.
โHe knows what awaits himโ, said Overmars. โKasper Dolberg is our main striker, but I am sure that Klaas Jan will play a key role, both on and off the field.โ
He won the KNVB Cup twice at Ajax before departing for Real Madrid for โฌ27 million at the end of 2009.
Huntelaar enjoyed a brief spell at the Santiago Bernabรฉu, making just 13 starts in an injury-ravaged season, joining AC Milan in 2009 before later securing the DFB-Pokal and German Super Cup while at Schalke.
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
Being a Tipp man he realised 2 in a row never happens for them so he handed it on the the next jennet
@Cathal: you were talking such sense until your little stutter at the end Cathal.
@Cathal: red thumbs were made for comments like this
No tipp man would talk like that. Absolute boll@#. Maybe it might and maybe it might happen but tipp are prob stronger now than their last all ireland win to do the double. Rubbish talk . Keyboard warrior
Good man Seanie a rail fool up top there talking $h#ยฃe. Maher is a warrior pure dedicated to the blue and gold like all the rest of them boys who train five nights a week in thurles. Who really cares about how many ducks you get in a row itโs all about the last one. Your only as good as your last all Ireland and as far as I know boys we won the last one