MONDAY was a day of mixed emotions for Real Madrid as they completed the signing of long-term target Rafael van der Vaart, but confirmed his Holland team-mate Wesley Sneijder will be out for three months.
Sneijder sustained a knee ligament injury following a heavy challenge from Arsenal midfielder Abou Diaby in Sunday's Emirates Cup defeat to Arsenal.
The Dutchman left the field on a stretcher an hour into the game, with initial tests leaving the Madrid staff fearing they would be without their player for between six and eight months.
However, upon his return to Madrid, Sneijder - accompanied by coach Bernd Schuster and Madrid PR officer Javier Lozano - underwent tests at La Moraleja hospital which revealed he had not torn his cruciate ligaments and therefore halved his predicted time on the sidelines.
"Following the scan carried out today by the Real Madrid medical staff on the player Wesley Sneijder, it can be confirmed said player has suffered an injury of the internal lateral ligaments (knee) and damaged part of the anterior cruciate ligaments," Madrid confirmed via a statement on their website, www.realmadrid.es.
"With the orthopaedic treatment and rehabilitation work required it is estimated that the player will be out of action for approximately three months."
While the news is not exactly welcome, the three-month lay off is better than expected and was greeted with optimism by the player himself.
"I'm very happy," was Sneijder's only comment as he left hospital in a wheelchair.
The fact that the ligaments are not torn also means Sneijder will not need any surgical intervention to repair the damage.
Better news for Madrid came in the form of the confirmation that Van der Vaart will be able to act as a replacement for Sneijder after finally completing his move to the Bernabeu.
Sneijder's Holland team-mate, who will join a contingent of four other Dutchmen in the Madrid squad, has been targeted by the Spanish champions all summer.
On Monday morning a spokesman for Van der Vaart's former club, Hamburg, revealed negotiations had taken place while the two sides were in London.
By the afternoon the player and the German club both confirmed the move was to go ahead, with Madrid following suit later on.
The Spanish club, again through a statement on their website, confirmed the deal would see the 25-year-old join Los Blancos for the next five seasons.
While no fee was revealed, reports in Spain and Germany suggest Madrid have paid in the region of 13million euros for the former Ajax star.
He is set to undergo a medical and be officially unveiled as a Madrid player at 1300 local time on Tuesday.
The Dutchman left the field on a stretcher an hour into the game, with initial tests leaving the Madrid staff fearing they would be without their player for between six and eight months.
However, upon his return to Madrid, Sneijder - accompanied by coach Bernd Schuster and Madrid PR officer Javier Lozano - underwent tests at La Moraleja hospital which revealed he had not torn his cruciate ligaments and therefore halved his predicted time on the sidelines.
"Following the scan carried out today by the Real Madrid medical staff on the player Wesley Sneijder, it can be confirmed said player has suffered an injury of the internal lateral ligaments (knee) and damaged part of the anterior cruciate ligaments," Madrid confirmed via a statement on their website, www.realmadrid.es.
"With the orthopaedic treatment and rehabilitation work required it is estimated that the player will be out of action for approximately three months."
While the news is not exactly welcome, the three-month lay off is better than expected and was greeted with optimism by the player himself.
"I'm very happy," was Sneijder's only comment as he left hospital in a wheelchair.
The fact that the ligaments are not torn also means Sneijder will not need any surgical intervention to repair the damage.
Better news for Madrid came in the form of the confirmation that Van der Vaart will be able to act as a replacement for Sneijder after finally completing his move to the Bernabeu.
Sneijder's Holland team-mate, who will join a contingent of four other Dutchmen in the Madrid squad, has been targeted by the Spanish champions all summer.
On Monday morning a spokesman for Van der Vaart's former club, Hamburg, revealed negotiations had taken place while the two sides were in London.
By the afternoon the player and the German club both confirmed the move was to go ahead, with Madrid following suit later on.
The Spanish club, again through a statement on their website, confirmed the deal would see the 25-year-old join Los Blancos for the next five seasons.
While no fee was revealed, reports in Spain and Germany suggest Madrid have paid in the region of 13million euros for the former Ajax star.
He is set to undergo a medical and be officially unveiled as a Madrid player at 1300 local time on Tuesday.
Copyright (c) Press Association
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