Ajax issue Hamburg captain Rafael van der Vaart contract ultimatum 
Ajax have an issued an ultimatum to Hamburg captain Rafael van der Vaart, with the midfielder yet to make a decision regarding his future. Van der Vaart, 32, is set to leave Bundesliga strugglers Hamburg after three disappointing years in northern Germany.
The Netherlands international left Ajax for Hamburg in 2005, and re-signed for the German club in 2012 following spells at Real Madrid and Tottenham.
Hamburg announced earlier this year that they would not be offering Van der Vaart a new contract, and the midfielder seems certain to depart the Volksparkstadion on a free transfer this summer.
In March, Van der Vaart had been linked with a switch to MLS, but a move to Sporting Kansas City fell through.
Scottish champions Celtic are also said to be interested in the playmaker, while Ajax have made their interest in their former midfielder public.
Ajax coach Frank De Boer has now urged Van der Vaart to make a decision on his future, telling Dutch TV AT5: "I understand that Rafael can't immediately say yes. But we have issued an ultimatum to him. "It's about how he sees his future. Rafa also has to want [a return home]." German paper Bild reports that Ajax have offered Van der Vaart a yearly salary of ?1 million, plus a signing-on fee of another ?1 million.
However, the former Real Madrid midfielder has only one more week to decide whether he wants to return home, according to the paper.
"I think that Rafael can be a good reinforcement," De Boer added, and noted that despite his turbulent private life, the player has "always focused on football" and hence "remains a top professional."
http://www.espnfc.com/story/2443869/ajax-issue-ultimatum-to-hamburg-captain-rafael-van-der-vaart
