Van der Vaart ready to join Chelsea or LiverpoolRafael van der Vaart has issued a come-and-get-me plea to Premier League clubs ahead of the new season.
Van der Vaart has made just 31 league starts in two seasons at Real Madrid, and while 12 months ago he was prepared to stay and fight for his place at the Bernabeu he now wants to be playing week-in, week-out.
After losing his place in the Netherlands team due to injury after the group stage - he did not feature against Slovakia or Brazil but did come off the bench in both the semi-final and final - he knows he must return to top form at club level.
With Jose Mourinho likely to ring the changes over the next month, Van der Vaart is prepared to move on.
He told the Daily Star Sunday: "I have heard of the interest from Liverpool and Chelsea - and that is very flattering. If either of them were willing to offer me first-team football, I will be honest that it would be very hard for me to not listen to what they had to say.
"I think I have the relationship with Madrid where they understand my position and would let me hold talks. I expect the majority of transfers to be concluded in the next two weeks, and if Chelsea or Liverpool wanted to talk with me I would at the very least listen to what they have to say.
"They are both giants, and if they could offer first-team football it may prove impossible to turn down. Real Madrid is the most prestigious club in the world and I am happy here and also in Spain, but I am at the age where I have to be playing first-team football.
"I am getting to the point where I will be hitting my peak years and I need to spend those years at a club where I will be playing regularly. The boss knows how much he plans to use me, and if he is willing to listen to offers for me. I wouldn't be willing to play for any clubs in Spain out of respect for Madrid, so in my eyes the only other place to go would be the Premier League.
"It's the only league that competes with the standard of La Liga."
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