Football United

Hamburger SV sports director Dietmar Beiersdorfer has revealed that the club are awaiting a reponse from Ajax Amsterdam on their offer to buy midfield star Rafael van der Vaart.

The 22-year-old Dutch international has already agreed personal terms with the 1983 European champions and is eager to complete a move to the Bundesliga. Ajax are believed to want around €7 million for the player, while HSV are likely to have offered no more than €5 million. Beiersdorfer told his club's official Web site that an offer has been made and that the club awaits a reponse: "We are hoping sooner rather than later. I presume that we will talk to Ajax on the telephone this week."

Meanwhile, Iranian midfielder Mehdi Mahdavikia is set to leave the club after coach Thomas Doll decided his attributes no longer fitted in to the team's tactical formation. Beiersdorfer said: "We told him that he is an out and out winger and that we don’t include wingers in our system, which means that he would not be first choice for the first team."

In other HSV news, Japanese striker Naoihiro Tahahara has extended his contract with the club until 2008. The "Sushi Bomber" was pleased with the deal, revealing: "I really feel at home here in Hamburg and so it wasn’t a difficult decision to make. I have the feeling that both the club and the team are heading in the right direction."

Source: Goal.com