Van Nistelrooy Extends Madrid Deal Until 2010
Real Madrid have confirmed the long-awaited news that Ruud van Nistelrooy has extended his Real Madrid deal until the summer of 2010.
Real Madrid forward Ruud van Nistelrooy has extended his current contract until 2010, keeping him in the Spanish capital until one day before his 34th birthday.
A new contract for 'Van Gol' has been on the agenda for some time, but only recently has it come close to being a reality. The player's agent, Rob Linse, arrived in Madrid this week to agree terms with the blancos hierarchy.
The Dutch forward arrived at the Bernabeu at the start of last season, retaining the form that had seen him become a fans' favourite at Manchester United.
Prior to today, his deal would have kept him in Madrid until the end of this season, with a further year being added on automatically should he complete 35 competitive games in the current campaign.
Now, though, there is no doubt as to his future, with a remaining two seasons after this one being guaranteed by the current contract.
RealMadrid.com reports that club president Ramon Calderon joined Van Nistelrooy, his agent, his family, and sporting director Pedja Mijatovic in the Bernabeu boardroom to complete the deal.
Ruud himself, who was rested ahead of tonight's Copa del Rey clash against Mallorca, arrived at the stadium at 17:15 local time, declared himself "proud" to be a part of the blanco outfit.
With 'Van Gol' turning 34 a day after his new deal's expiration, a further extension is possible, but seemingly unlikely. A further statement on the Real Madrid website said, "The player, who arrived at Real Madrid in the 06/07 season, will remain linked to the club until 09/10, which will with total security put to an end his athletic career at Real Madrid."
For now, though, there are two and a half more years of Ruud at the Bernabeu.