By Ollie Irish
Ruud van Nistelrooy turned down potential moves to West Ham and Spurs, among others, to pen an 18-month contract with Hamburg. The Dutch striker joined on a free transfer from Real Madrid.
Ruud’s reason for leaving Madrid? He craved regular first-team football, telling Spanish publication Marca: “Saying goodbye to Real Madrid is very difficult. It has been one of the most difficult decisions of my career, but I felt I had to play and Hamburg gave me a great opportunity.”
Shame, but he’s been there, done that in the Prem and I don’t blame him for wanting to test himself in a new league.
Photos of Ruud’s unveiling in Hamburg below:
