Real Madrid looks to offload Dutch players

Tuesday 23 June 2009

Real Madrid's attempt to sell their players from the Netherlands has been given an unexpected helping hand by Ruud van Nistelrooy, who says all the Dutch players should go but himself, the Guardian newspaper reports on Tuesday.

Madrid wants to get rid of as many as nine players this summer in an attempt to clear space in the squad for new arrivals and raise cash.

Six of those who could be sold are Dutch: Van Nistelrooy, Arjen Robben, Wesley ­Sneijder, Royston Drenthe, Rafael van der Vaart and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, according to the paper.

The paper says the Spanish club is determined to sell Robben because he could fetch as much as €30m and may leave him out of the squad if he insists on ­staying.

'The Dutch players have big goals head of them, one of which is playing at the 2010 World Cup as starters,' Van Nistelrooy told the paper. 'If they get offers from important clubs they should accept them.

'My situation is different. I've just come back from a long injury... besides, I don't know who would want to sign me right now,' he was quoted as saying.

© DutchNews.nl

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