MADRID, Spain (AP) - Real Madrid has acquired Ruud van Nistelrooy from Manchester United, reaching agreement with the Dutch striker on a three-year contract.
Madrid announced the deal in a statement on its website Thursday, saying van Nistelrooy will be presented at Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on Friday following a routine medical.
The club gave no financial details but earlier reports said the 29-time Spanish champion will pay United 15 million euros ($21.6 million Cdn) for the 30-year-old Dutch star.
United said in a statement that it had given van Nistelrooy permission to travel to Madrid for a medical but suggested it has yet to agree on the transfer fee.
"The terms of agreement are yet to be finalized between the two clubs," the English club said.
Van Nistelrooy will be Madrid's third signing since Ramon Calderon won the club's presidential election July 3. Fabio Cannavaro and Emerson arrived earlier this week from Italy's Juventus.
The transfers have cost a reported 38 million euros ($54.8 million Cdn), which Calderon hopes will bring an end to the club's three-year trophy drought.
Van Nistelrooy, who will reportedly earn an annual salary of five million euros ($7.2 million Cdn), will be reunited with former England captain David Beckham, whom he played with at United from 2001 to 2003.
The prolific scorer was said to have been upset with the departure of Beckham, whose crosses from the right wing provided him with many of his goals.
Van Nistelrooy will become the sixth attacker in Madrid's squad, joining Ronaldo, Robinho, Raul Gonzalez, Antonio Cassano and Julio Baptista, prompting suggestions the nine-time European champion will seek to offload a striker or two.
Madrid had been vying with two-time defending German champion Bayern Munich for the striker, who fell out with United manager Sir Alex Ferguson at the end of last season.
Bayern general manager Uli Hoeness said Tuesday his club had lodged a new bid to sign the player, which was also said to fall short of United's asking price.
The signing was announced two days after Madrid reportedly increased its offer for the striker - even though Ferguson had said the bid was still below the asking price of 15 million pounds ($31.7 million Cdn).
United acquired Van Nistelrooy in April 2001 for a then-British record fee of 19 million pounds ($401. million Cdn).
The striker, who previously won a Premier League and the FA Cup with United, saw his form slump in the final few months of last season. He was furious after being left on the bench for the 4-0 victory over Wigan in the Carling Cup final Feb. 26.
A training ground spat with teammate Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly left the Portuguese winger in tears and, when the Dutch striker was again left off the lineup for the final Premier League game against Charlton on May 7, he walked out of Old Trafford before kickoff.
Van Nistelrooy's five-year spell at United seemed certain to end when Ferguson banned the striker from Roy Keane's May 9 tribute game against Celtic at Old Trafford.
With Wayne Rooney, Louis Saha and U.S.-born Italian Giuseppe Rossi on the squad, United may be able to handle the loss of Van Nistelrooy, whose poor form continued into the World Cup.
Although he scored in the Dutch victory over the Ivory Coast, he was dropped for the second-round loss to Portugal.
Van Nistelrooy, one of only eight players to score 150 goals for United, had returned to pre-season training this week despite wanting to leave the club.
tsn.ca
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Madrid announced the deal in a statement on its website Thursday, saying van Nistelrooy will be presented at Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on Friday following a routine medical.
The club gave no financial details but earlier reports said the 29-time Spanish champion will pay United 15 million euros ($21.6 million Cdn) for the 30-year-old Dutch star.
United said in a statement that it had given van Nistelrooy permission to travel to Madrid for a medical but suggested it has yet to agree on the transfer fee.
"The terms of agreement are yet to be finalized between the two clubs," the English club said.
Van Nistelrooy will be Madrid's third signing since Ramon Calderon won the club's presidential election July 3. Fabio Cannavaro and Emerson arrived earlier this week from Italy's Juventus.
The transfers have cost a reported 38 million euros ($54.8 million Cdn), which Calderon hopes will bring an end to the club's three-year trophy drought.
Van Nistelrooy, who will reportedly earn an annual salary of five million euros ($7.2 million Cdn), will be reunited with former England captain David Beckham, whom he played with at United from 2001 to 2003.
The prolific scorer was said to have been upset with the departure of Beckham, whose crosses from the right wing provided him with many of his goals.
Van Nistelrooy will become the sixth attacker in Madrid's squad, joining Ronaldo, Robinho, Raul Gonzalez, Antonio Cassano and Julio Baptista, prompting suggestions the nine-time European champion will seek to offload a striker or two.
Madrid had been vying with two-time defending German champion Bayern Munich for the striker, who fell out with United manager Sir Alex Ferguson at the end of last season.
Bayern general manager Uli Hoeness said Tuesday his club had lodged a new bid to sign the player, which was also said to fall short of United's asking price.
The signing was announced two days after Madrid reportedly increased its offer for the striker - even though Ferguson had said the bid was still below the asking price of 15 million pounds ($31.7 million Cdn).
United acquired Van Nistelrooy in April 2001 for a then-British record fee of 19 million pounds ($401. million Cdn).
The striker, who previously won a Premier League and the FA Cup with United, saw his form slump in the final few months of last season. He was furious after being left on the bench for the 4-0 victory over Wigan in the Carling Cup final Feb. 26.
A training ground spat with teammate Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly left the Portuguese winger in tears and, when the Dutch striker was again left off the lineup for the final Premier League game against Charlton on May 7, he walked out of Old Trafford before kickoff.
Van Nistelrooy's five-year spell at United seemed certain to end when Ferguson banned the striker from Roy Keane's May 9 tribute game against Celtic at Old Trafford.
With Wayne Rooney, Louis Saha and U.S.-born Italian Giuseppe Rossi on the squad, United may be able to handle the loss of Van Nistelrooy, whose poor form continued into the World Cup.
Although he scored in the Dutch victory over the Ivory Coast, he was dropped for the second-round loss to Portugal.
Van Nistelrooy, one of only eight players to score 150 goals for United, had returned to pre-season training this week despite wanting to leave the club.
tsn.ca
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