Huntelaar switch to Stuttgart collapses
Reuters - Thursday 23 July 2009, 11:46
BERLIN - VfB Stuttgart's attempt to sign Netherlands striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar from Real Madrid has collapsed after the player failed to meet a Wednesday night deadline, the Bundesliga club said.
"We wanted to sign Huntelaar because his style fits with our team," Stuttgart sporting director Horst Heldt said on Thursday. "But we are not prepared to be dragged along."
Stuttgart, who received 35 million euros from the Bundesliga record sale of striker Mario Gomez to Bayern Munich, have yet to sign a replacement.
Real Madrid sporting director Miguel Pardeza has been quoted as saying the Spanish club is finding it hard to sell players as it seeks to trim its squad.
"In some cases they (the players) are resisting and in others there are no offers," he told Spanish daily Publico.
"The sale operation may seem simple but it is not. It is not easy convincing them to leave Real Madrid for what is generally a lesser team."
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