Welcome to Last Word on Football’s ‘Returning Players’ series. Today, we take a look at Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.
Huntelaar made his professional debut in 2002 with PSV Eindhoven, but the striker made his name after joining PSV’s arch-rivals Ajax in 2006. His goalscoring prowess saw him attracting interest from Real Madrid, joining the club at the start of last decade. The Netherlands striker also spent one season at AC Milan before joining Schalke, but after seven seasons in the Bundesliga, he returned to de Godenzonen.
Returning Players – Klass-Jan Huntelaar
First Spell at Ajax
Huntelaar arrived at Ajax in 2006 after an impressive season with Hereneeven that saw him scoring 20 goals in 22 matches and guiding the Superfriezen to the UEFA Cup. A childhood Ajax supporter, Huntelaar quickly settled at the Johan Cruyff Arena, starting from where he left off at Hereneeven.
Ajax’s decision to splash the cash on the PSV product quickly paid off. The striker scored 24 goals in 25 appearances, despite only joining Ajax midway through the season. Huntelaar ended the season as Eredivisie’s top scorer, guiding Ajax to their first KNVB Cup in three years.
It was in his third season at the club that Huntelaar attracted attention from Europe’s elite. The Dutchman formed an impressive partnership with Luis Suarez as he scored 33 goals in 34 league games, becoming the first player since Marco van Basten to score 30 league goals in a season for Ajax. Despite their dynamic duo, Ajax narrowly missed out on the league, falling five points short of winners PSV Eindhoven.
The 2008/09 season started with Huntelaar taking over as captain from Jaap Stam. The striker made a quick start, scoring nine goals in 15 games before suffering an injury against Sparta Rotterdam in November. The match proved to be the last in his first spell at the club as Huntelaar earned a dream move to Real Madrid during the winter transfer window.
Teams that Klass-Jan Huntelaar played for in Between
Huntelaar’s decision to move to Real Madrid came at the wrong time. The Dutchman arrived just days before Real Madrid president Roman Calderon resigned from the club. The change in presidency saw Florentino Perez winning the election and become the president.
The arrival of Perez saw Los Blancos moving in a different direction. Perez’s decision to usher in the second Galacticos era ended Huntelaar’s hopes of establishing at the Santiago Bernabeu. The Dutchman left the club after just half a season to join AC Milan.
It was a similar story at the San Siro for Huntelaar. The Dutchman rarely featured in the line-up for the Rossoneri, with then AC Milan manager Leonardo opting for Filippo Inzaghi and Marco Borriello ahead of Huntelaar. The lack of playing time saw the striker moving to newer pastures, joining FC Schalke, just a season after moving to the Serie A.
At Gelsenkirchen, Huntelaar rediscovered his form. The striker made a dream debut goal for Schalke, scoring against arch-rivals Borussia Dortmund. The Dutchman then helped die Knappen to their first major title in nine years, scoring twice in a 5-0 win over MSV Duisburg in the 2011 DFB-Pokal final.
Huntelaar’s second season started with a victory over Borussia Dortmund in the DFB Supercup. The striker ended the season with 29 league goals, becoming the first Dutch player and the first Schalke player since Ebbe Sand to finish as Bundesliga’s top scorer.
The striker spent five more seasons with Schalke before returning to Ajax in 2017.
Second Spell at Ajax
It was an entirely different Ajax squad when Huntelaar made his return. The Dutchman had left the club as one of the most promising players in the world and returned as a wily veteran with years of experience. Huntelaar joined a young and talented squad brimming with potential.
The returning prodigal son did not disappoint as he took off from where he had left in his first spell at the club. Huntelaar finished as the second-highest goalscorer for Ajax in his first three seasons. He also helped the Dutch giants to their first double in almost two decades.
Despite the reduced minutes and advancing age, Huntelaar scored 53 goals in 121 appearances. The former Dutch international remains one of the most under-rated strikers of his generation. His instincts in front of goal are one of the reasons for his long career.
A Second Spell at Schalke
Huntelaar returned to his second home at the start of this year. The veteran hoped to reignite a spark at the VELTINS-Arena and guide Schalke over the line and avoid relegation. Despite the presence of their once star striker, Schalke have barely managed to dig themselves out of their grave.
With Huntelaar opting out of retirement this season, the Dutch striker could still fulfil his dream of retiring at Ajax.
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