Sport - Football;Real Madrid agree to sign Huntelaar from Ajax

Real Madrid have reached an agreement to sign Netherlands striker Klaas Jan Huntelaar from Ajax Amsterdam, the Spanish champions said on Tuesday.

The 25-year-old, who will sign a contract until 2013, will not be able to play for Real until January when he will be available to replace compatriot Ruud van Nistelrooy, who has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee injury.

In a statement, Ajax said Real would pay up to 27 million euros ($34.4 million), made up of a 20 million euro fixed payment and a 7 million euro variable payment.

His first appearance for the side will depend on how quickly he recovers from an ankle injury that has sidelined him since the beginning of last month.

"I grant Klaas Jan this transfer, though we preferred to finish this season with him," Ajax coach Marco van Basten was quoted as saying in a statement.

"It is logical when a club like Real Madrid is interested, to keep him here and at Ajax we need to focus on our future-oriented policy instead of one player."

Huntelaar, capped 18 times with 10 goals, debuted for Ajax in January 2006 after being signed from Heerenveen, and scored a total of 105 goals in 136 appearances.