Klaas Jan Huntelaar: Real Sign Deadly Dutchman: Have PL Clubs Made a Big Mistake? Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs, Liverpool, Man City & Newcastle Target Finally Moves!
Real Madrid announced this week they have won the signature of the one of the most prolific strikers in Europe over the past few seasons, the Dutchman Klaas Jan Huntelaar. The 25-year-old will move in January for an initial reported fee of £17m. The transfer ends the continuous rumours linking the player to the Premier League with clubs including Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham, Newcastle and Man City showing an interest. The question remains whether English clubs have missed out on a major goal-scoring talent or is the striker vastly overrated?
Huntelaar was reported to be a last minute target of Mark Hughes in the summer transfer window but the move failed to materialise. When you consider that Roman Pavlyuchenko cost £14m, Jo £18m and Robbie Keane £20m then Real may have got themselves an absolute bargain.
After all, the Dutch striker’s scoring record is second to none as he possesses the ability to score all types of goals ranging from towering headers to long-range free-kicks. Despite some of the biggest clubs in the world having scoured the planet for new strikers over the past few seasons, one of the best remained playing week in, week out in the relative backwater of the Dutch League. However, at last the Dutchman is made the move into the big league with arguably the biggest club in the world.
A quick glance at his goals per game ratio surely singles out the Ajax striker as worth a gamble. After all, last season alone he scored 33 League goals in 34 matches and only one of those goals was from the penalty spot. Once again this figure topped the Dutch scoring charts, a staggering 12 goals more than his nearest rival. This season he’s scored 6 goals in 10 League games which by his own high standards is not that impressive.
Since joining Ajax midway through the 2005/06 season the 25-year-old Drempt-born hitman has scored a staggering 76 goals in 92 League games. This Roy of the Rovers style scoring shouldn’t have been unexpected given the players striking tally at Heerenveen prior to moving to Amsterdam. In just a season and a half Huntelaar scored 34 goals in just 46 League matches which prompted Ajax to quickly pounce. His career League record now reads 136 goals in 183 League appearances, now if that type of form is not worth a punt then I don’t know what is!
The young Dutch sensation has banished fears that he couldn’t perform on the international stage too after continuing his scoring form for the Oranje netting 10 goals in just 18 games despite competing with the likes of Van Nistelrooy and Robin Van Persie for a starting berth. Huntelaar is also something of a lucky charm for Holland as they’ve won 16, drawn 1 and lost only one of the matches he’s featured in.
When you’ve topped the Dutch scoring charts in 2 of the last 3 seasons, won numerous player of the year awards, finished top scorer in the world in 2005/06 as well as rewriting the record books as all-time highest U21 scorer in Dutch history, you’d expect to have the best clubs in the world to be chasing you and now that chase is over as Real Madrid have finally pounced. With Van Nistelrooy out for the season we will soon see just how good a player Huntelaar is. Will Premier League clubs rue the fact they never signed this Klaas act? We will soon find out!
Do you think your club missed a trick in signing the Dutchman or is he vastly overrated? Let’s hear your views.
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Alan Hansen’s P10 predictions this week:
Tags: Ajax, Arsenal, Klaas Jan Huntelaar, Liverpool, Man City, Manchester United, Newcastle, Real Madrid, Spurs
December 3rd, 2008 at 13:46
he is quality, gutted he would have scored loads with our midfield too
December 3rd, 2008 at 13:46
we are crying out for a natural finisher…how do Real sign players so cheaply??
December 3rd, 2008 at 13:48
if darren bent was £16,5m how is Huntelaar so cheap, so goes for van der vaart who cost peanuts!
December 3rd, 2008 at 13:50
we have loads of talent but this lad is a natural just like horse face was at United…he would have scored so many goals with the chances we create…£17m is not much in this day and age. We could sell Bendtner for about £8m
December 3rd, 2008 at 13:54
Because every club sets the fee higher if there is a bid from England.
Hope Klaas will be a hit in Madrid.
Now lets buy a decent right midfielder and central defender.
December 3rd, 2008 at 13:57
One more Real have shown we are the biggest club in the world…The ‘Hunter’ will score lots of goals in the white of Madrid!