Newboy Huntelaar assures Real over ankle injury

Dutch international striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar reassured new club Real Madrid on Wednesday that his ankle injury is improving as he arrived in Spain following his transfer from Ajax Amsterdam.

“I hope to be back as soon as possible. I'm training very well, without problems, running without difficulty and touching the ball,” he said.

Under the terms of the transfer deal worth 27 million euros (34 million dollars), Huntelaar will remain with the reigning Spanish champions until June 30, 2013.

But the 25-year-old is currently out of action after damaging ankle tendons during a match against Sparta Rotterdam in early November and is not expected to be fit again until the middle of December.

He arrives at the club at a time when it is plagued by injuries, with fellow Dutchman Ruud van Nistelrooy out for the rest of the season after a knee operation and Pepe, Wesley Sneijder and Miguel Torres all struggling with muscle strains.

Defenders Christoph Metzelder and Mahamadou Diarra joined the injured list on Tuesday.

“Even those who arrive are injured,” joked Real defender Michel Salgado.

Huntelaar has scored six goals in the Dutch first division this season after finishing as top scorer last season with 33 goals in 34 games played. He has also taken over from van Nistelrooy in the Dutch national side.