Real confirm Van der Vaart transfer from Hamburg

Real Madrid confirmed Monday they have signed Dutch international midfielder Rafael van der Vaart from Hamburg.

The Spanish champions did not reveal the amount they paid for the player, but Spanish and German media put the figure at 13 million euros (20 million dollars).

“Real Madrid and Hamburg have reached an agreement for the transfer for five seasons of Dutch player Rafael Ferdinand van der Vaart,” Real announced on their website.

“The agreement is subject to the player's medical examination and his signing of a contract.”

Van der Vaart, whose mother is Spanish, will be presented at the Santiago-Bernabeu stadium on Tuesday.

His transfer comes as Real Madrid announced that another Dutch international midfielder, Wesley Sneijder, would be out of action for three months after injuring his knee during a weekend match in London.

Earlier Monday, van der Vaart himself announced that he had sealed a move to the Spanish champions.

“Last night everything came together, and I am now moving to Real Madrid,” the 25-year-old Hamburg captain said on his website.

“As everybody might know I have always wanted to move to Spain, because I have a strong bond with that country. Now I'm going to play for Real Madrid – it's a dream comes true!

“This will be the start of a new chapter in my life. I will do everything to help the team and the club to win trophies.”

Van der Vaart, who has won over 50 caps for his country and scored 12 goals, joined Hamburg in 2005, scoring 29 goals in 74 Bundesliga matches.

Aside from Sneijder, he will also join three other compatriots at Real: midfielders Royston Drenthe and Arjen Robben and striker Ruud van Nistelrooy.