Real Madrid's Dutch midfielder Rafael Van der Vaart said on Monday that he expects to leave the club before the end of the summer. Van der Vaart joined Real Madrid from Hamburg a year ago, but struggled to win a regular first team place and after the arrivals of Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Esteban Granero and Karim Benzema, he looks to have no place in the plans of new coach Manuel Pellegrini.

Pellegrini left him out of the squad to play the Peace Cup and the club wants to recover some of the 13 million euros it spent on him to finance further new arrivals, such as possibly Liverpool's midfielder Xabi Alonso.

Speaking in German paper De Telegraf, Van der Vaart admitted time was running out for him in Spain.

"The coach has told me that in principal I am going to be on the substitutes' bench. There is no reason for me to stay at the club," he said, highlighting the importance of playing first team football in a season that ends with the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

"The important thing for me now is to play regularly, I don't want to lose my place in the Dutch national team to go to South Africa," commented the midfielder.

However, Van der Vaart added that he could be left waiting for a move as clubs interested in signing him refuse to meet Real Madrid's asking price.

"Real Madrid wants to recover the money they paid for me, but I understand that any club who is interested in signing me is not going to be pressured," said Van der Vaart, who does not expect Real Madrid to get back the 13 million euros they originally paid.

【体坛英语资讯：Van der Vaart preparing for Madrid exit】相关文章：

★ 娱乐英语资讯：Madonna link? Report says Rodriguez, wife split up

★ 体坛英语资讯：Another injury sends Yi to NBA sidelines

★ 体坛英语资讯：Guga says goodbye to tennis world

★ 娱乐英语资讯：Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducts Madonna,Cohen

★ 娱乐英语资讯：Paris Hiltons marry hurry

★ 体坛英语资讯：China names Frances Elisabeth as coach

★ 体坛资讯：Japan beat UAE 3-1 at Asian Cup

★ 体坛英语资讯：Domanski still mum on coaching in China

★ 体坛英语资讯：China Open: Gonzalez hard tested, host players out

★ 体坛英语资讯：Seattle guard Durant named Rookie of the Year