Rafael Van der Vaart: £8M Dutch Master Ideal to Replace Alonso at Liverpool or Ronaldo at Manchester United?
According to reports in the Spanish, Dutch and German press Rafael van der Vaart will be allowed to leave the Bernabeu for a knockdown fee of just £8m.
The player’s stock has definitely fallen since his move to La Liga but the Dutchman would surely be the ideal man to replace the likes of Xabi Alonso at Liverpool or alternatively provide Manchester United with a goal threat and creativity that Cristiano Ronaldo so brilliantly provided albeit from a different position to van der Vaart. Both Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes are nearing the end of their star-studded careers so Sir Alex will need to bring in more ball players into a physical all-action midfield consisting of the likes of Park Ji-Sung, Darren Fletcher and Anderson.
The multi-million pound arrivals of Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo, Raul Albiol and soon Karim Benzema will mean that Real will need to recoup some of their incredible outlay by selling a number of fringe players. Van der Vaart is expected to be one of those. However, he claims not to be worried, “On the one hand the uncertainty about our positions grows with each signing, but on the other hand I’m quite relaxed about it.
“I signed a contract for five years. If the club management tells me clearly I need to go, I’ll look for something else, but I want to battle.”
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Van der Vaart began his Real career with 4 goals in his first 4 games including a goal on his debut against Numancia and a hat-trick against Sporting Gijon. However, since then the Dutch playmaker has failed to score and increasingly been relegated to substitute appearances. The €13 million summer signing has played 32 league games for the Spanish champions but only started 15 of those games. Apart from starting the two final league games of the season, his previous last full 90 minutes came in a Copa Del Rey match v Real Union in November and his last full game in La Liga was way back in September, hence his frustration. After all, in 3 seasons for Hamburg he started 72 of his 74 league appearances and scored 29 goals.
Prior to leaving Hamburg his manager Martin Jol had this to say about his star player, “He is one of the best five play-makers in Europe and he dictates the rhythm of Hamburg.” That’s high praise indeed but the 26-year-old had proven to be a huge hit both in his homeland with Ajax and in the Bundesliga with Hamburg.
The 2007/08 season was the Dutchman’s most prolific campaign in 3 seasons in Germany. He scored a total of 12 goals in 29 League appearances taking his overall League tally for Hamburg to an impressive 29 goals in 74 appearances. Not bad for a playmaking attacking midfielder. This is a similar scoring rate to the one he enjoyed with Ajax where Van der Vaart scored a total of 52 goals in 117 League appearances. This record includes the 2002/03 season when the Dutch international scored a staggering 18 goals in 21 League appearances. The diminutive playmaker has also got a decent scoring record at international level for Holland after netting 14 goals in 68 games.
The Dutch star certainly has all the attributes to be a major hit in the Premier League and at a mere £8m would surely be an absolute bargain for a number of clubs. Especially as he can play centrally, on either wing or as 2nd striker.
For £8m would you like your club to sign him? Let’s hear your views.
Tags: Ajax, Hamburg, Holland, Liverpool, Manchester United, Rafael Van der Vaart, Real Madrid
July 3rd, 2009 at 15:53
i’m a liverpool fan and i would be delighted even if we sign VDV for 20 mill !!!….8 mill is just a joke and if benitez dosent at least try to sign him then i dont know what he is doing right….i mean we need VDV + he is costing half d price johnson did!!! so there is a perfect example of how cheap VDV really is
July 3rd, 2009 at 15:55
He is exactly the type of versatile, experienced player Liverpool need, whether Alonso stays or goes. As cover for Nando or as an attacking wide player. I imagine if we won’t do business over Alonso the Real would make a move for Van Der Vaart very difficult.
July 3rd, 2009 at 16:08
hope this will happend:D
i would like to see VDV as replecament for XA….
July 3rd, 2009 at 16:38
i am a realmadrid fan but i will like liverpool to do bussiness with real to give us alonso and collect vdv.go realmadrid it is in u.
July 3rd, 2009 at 17:15
benitez is so indeciseve,,,,,,,,,players have bean baugght and sold……..were waiting with rick parry gone……..whos 2 blame if he has the cash?gbush or g brown lol,,,,,,,,,go and buy a striker and stop moaning on players u have.u irritated xabi aloso with barry….and were is gareth??????? go on we wont wont win anything with u rafa!!!!! uefa cup istanbul was a flule,fa was sg,,,,ynwa
July 3rd, 2009 at 17:28
Zeid… little boy, get a nap and all will be well in the mourning! Rafa the gaffa is a champ and you are a loser. Get it! Just play your part lad.
July 3rd, 2009 at 21:53
zeid u have no idea wat u talking bout..u sound like a man u fan
July 4th, 2009 at 00:27
zeid,
u are obviously a manc. any redman knows istanbul was no “flule”(sic). it simply showed why LFC will always be the best….character, ability, belief, tradition. look at the “facts”, rafa is the best since kenny and now kenny is back…love it, hate whiners and bored, anxious mancs,
laters
July 4th, 2009 at 06:09
funny how i was thinking exactly the same when i was reading the joao moutinho article before i chanced upon this
still, the balance could be disrupted cos’ VDV is more attack-oriented unlike Alonso who’s more pivotal
July 4th, 2009 at 08:17
Buy VDV, just sell Alonso and get the EPL TITLE
July 4th, 2009 at 11:23
I think that VDV + Huntelaar would be the call for Alonso, I think that if Real really want there man, then there is a deal to be had with these to coming in the opposite direction
July 4th, 2009 at 13:04
MAYB A SWAP WITH ARBELOA, ANYONE?
July 20th, 2009 at 13:22
I am a United fan and I would think that Rafael Ferdinand van der Vaart would be the best option to replace Ronaldo after Franck Ribery and by right he should be right player to get the No.7 not Owen
No disrespect for Scousers, but i heard you guys are having financial problems so the best part is to not sell any players at all.
For United, 35m should do it for VDV
July 29th, 2009 at 10:28
van der vaart plus hunterlaar.
we need a better striker than kuyT. then we kept put gerrard back into central midfield as well or we could put van der vaart there.