Marcel Boekhoorn denies that he has personally spoken with Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. The Gelderlander reported on Wednesday that NEC is speeding up the arrival of the striker and indicated that both parties have now had a second conversation. Huntelaar would also have already been to the NEC stadium. However, lender Boekhoorn, who would have been present at one of the conversations, denies that he had any personal contact.
“Of course I always hope that he will come and play with us, but I understand that he will probably really stop playing football now,” says Boekhoorn in conversation with Broadcasting Gelderland. “That I would have had a conversation with him are real story-stories.” Boekhoorn, together with technical director Ted van Leeuwen, is seen as an important pawn in the possible arrival of Huntelaar. Van Leeuwen previously worked with Huntelaar at AGOVV and is still in contact with the now clubless striker.
“I will not comment on rumours, but it is known that Klaas-Jan and I get along well,” is all Van Leeuwen wanted to say about the situation last week. The director brought Huntelaar to AGOVV on a rental basis from PSV in 2003. Huntelaar then had his breakthrough in professional football in Apeldoorn: he scored 26 goals at the second level and then moved to sc Heerenveen, before playing for Ajax, Real Madrid, AC Milan and Schalke 04.
Boekhoorn plans to seriously participate with NEC in the Eredivisie. He previously succeeded with the Nijmegen club to acquire Lasse Schöne, who comes transfer-free from Heerenveen. Huntelaar was recently told by Schalke that his expiring contract will not be extended, which means that he can be taken over on a free transfer. It is not yet clear whether the striker will continue playing football for at least another season or whether he will end his career.
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