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The German club officially announced on Saturday the acquisition of the Dutch national team and Amsterdam defender Rafael van der Vaart. The deal amount was not disclosed, but it is believed that the player cost the Germans about 5.5 million euros.
The 22-year-old player, once considered one of the most promising footballers in Europe a couple of years ago, was plagued by injuries and disagreements with the "Ajax" coach R. Koeman this season - which led to van der Vaart performing rather unimpressively in matches, and with one season left on his contract with the Amsterdam club, he decided to leave the team.
"Hamburg" hurriedly and quickly reached an agreement with the player for a five-year contract, but both clubs still had to agree on the transfer fee, and it seems that "Ajax" finally gave in and accepted the German offer.
"I am delighted that my move to Hamburg is sorted out," said van der Vaart, who was previously linked to top clubs such as "Real", "Barcelona", "Juventus", "Milan", "Man Utd", and others.
"We are pleased with the acquisition of a player of international class like van der Vaart," added Hamburg's director Dietmar Beiersdorfer.
The acquisition of the promising Dutchman by "Hamburg," who finished just eighth in the Bundesliga standings this season, is a significant achievement - the team will not even play in the UEFA Cup next season, while "Ajax," despite losing the Dutch champions title, secured a place in the Champions League for the next season.
