MADRID, Spain (AP) _ Real Madrid signed Wesley Sneijder from Ajax
for 27 million euros (C$28.87 million) Monday, the second Dutchman
to join the Spanish champion in five days.
The 23-year-old Netherlands midfielder agreed to a five-year deal
and wass to unveiled at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium later Monday.
``Right now, this is a dream come true. I couldn't ask for
more,'' Sneijder told sports daily As. ``I want to play at Real
Madrid and I want to succeed. I want to show all Madrid fans who
Sneijder is.''
Sneijder had attracted interest from Valencia, but Madrid closed
the deal two days after Ajax had rejected its initial offer of 24
million euros (C$34.5 million).
``I couldn't let the opportunity to play at Real Madrid escape,
and that's what I told Ajax _ that these chances come along only
once in a lifetime and I have to go for it,'' Sneijder said. ``If
Ajax hadn't let me go to Madrid, it would have been a big problem.''
A product of Ajax's youth academy, the attacking midfielder and
free kick specialist scored 57 goals in 180 matches at the club.
Sneijder has also scored six goals in 35 games for the Dutch
national team.
``Obviously, we are sad that we have to lose one of our best
players ahead of the very important qualifying matches for the
Champions League,'' Ajax technical director Martin van Geel said in
a statement. ``At the same time, we could not deny Wesley Sneijder
this opportunity.''
On Thursday, Madrid reportedly paid Feyenoord 14 million euros
(C$20.1 million) to sign Netherlands under-21 defender Royston
Drenthe.
The two players will join Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, who
scored a league-high 25 goals last season, at Madrid. Signing
Sneijder could signal the end of Madrid's chase for a fourth
Dutchman, Arjen Robben. The Chelsea winger has long been linked with
a move to the Bernabeu.
