10 things you need to know about Klaas-Jan Huntelaar

By Mirror Football in Football Spy

Published 23:00 21/01/10

Dutch forward Klaas-Jan Huntelaar passes Macedonian goalkeeper Tome Pacovski and scores 2-0, during their World Championships 2010 qualification match in Amsterdam, on April 1, 2009.

Could Klaas-Jan Huntelaar be the next big-name international to join the Premier League? Manchester United are the latest club to be linked to the wantaway AC Milan star, who is desperate to quit Italy to get regular first team football before the World Cup.

MirrorFootball's Rob Hicks gives you the run down on the striker who has bagged a hat-full of goals, and has more nicknames than a comic book hero.

1) He was born in Drempt, Holland on August 12, 1983.

2) Huntelaar was not a natural born striker. When he was scouted by De Graafschap, aged 11, he played in various positions, including left wing, attacking midfielder, full back, and even goalkeeper. It wasn't until his third year at the club when he was played as a striker.

3) At the age of 15, he started making a name for himself when he scored 31 goals for Graafschap B1 team. It was this prolific form which caught the eye of PSV, for whom he subsequently signed in July 2000.

4) In Holland, he goes by the alias of the Bicycle Kick King. Although the title is pretty self explanatory, watch the footage below to see why.

5) In 2006, Huntelaar was named Dutch Football Talent of the Year. He was also part of the Dutch team that won the 2006 UEFA Under-21 Championship where he picked up the Golden Boot award for being the tournament's leading goal scorer.

6) He holds the record for being the all time top scorer of the Netherlands U-21 National team, scoring an mighty impressive 18 goals in 22 appearances.

7) Huntelaar was the first player to score at Arsenal's new Emirates Stadium in a testimonial match for Dennis Bergkamp.

8) Despite signing for Real Madrid for an estimated £20 million, with the sum potentially rising to £27 million, he never got to play in the Champions League for the Spanish giants. Having signed both Huntelaar and Lassana Diaarra, the plan was to use both of them for the 2008/09 Champions League campaign, but as both players had already featured in the same season's UEFA Cup for their previous clubs, UEFA would only allow one of the pair to be registered. Diarra was their choice, leaving their new £20 million striker to play domestic football for the rest of the season.

9) Nicknamed The Hunter , apparently for his animalistic like instincts around the box, he now currently plies his trade at AC Milan where he was signed for £15 million from the Galaticos in 2009.

10) Huntelaar made his International senior debut on 16 August, 2006, away to the Republic of Ireland. It was a dream start for the striker, which saw him score two goals and provide two assists in a convincing 4-0 win. The Bicycle Kick King Hunter became the first Dutch player to score on his full international debut for 28 years, the last being Dick Nanninga in 1978.