Real Madrid sign Huntelaar from Ajax

Real Madrid have signed Dutch international striker Klas-Jan Huntelaar from Ajax, the Spanish club announced Tuesday.

The 25-year-old is expected to replace another Dutchman, Ruud van Nistelrooy, who will miss the rest of the season after a knee operation.

“Huntelaar is now officially a new player at Real Madrid,” the club said in a statement, which praised “his great positioning, opportunism and intelligence.” It did not reveal the transfer price.

Huntelaar is currently out of action due to an ankle injury and is not expected to be fit again until the middle of this month.

He 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.

Real already have five Dutch players on their books – van Nistelrooy, Wesley Sneijder, Arjen Robben, Rafael van der Vaart and Royston Drenthe.