Hamburg confirm Van der Vaart exit
Rafael van der Vaart and Marcell Jansen will both leave Hamburg in the summer after the club confirmed they will not be offered new deals – while Heiko Westermann and Slobodan Rajkovic face uncertainty over their futures. The director of sport, Dietmar Beiersdorfer, told the club’s website: “Rafael and Marcell know that we are not going to hold talks with them, and with Heiko and Slobodan we’ve left it open. They’ve all assured us that helping Hamburg avoid relegation remains their absolute priority.”
The former Tottenham player Van der Vaart, 32, has been linked with Ajax and the MLS side Sporting Kansas City – but has also been promised a long-term future in a coaching role at Hamburg. “He’s one of the most significant players in our history. We want to give him the opportunity to return.” Staff
Morata hailed in Spain
Álvaro Morata says he is flattered to be dubbed “the future of the Spain team” after the 22-year-old Juventus striker’s goal gave his country a 1-0 win against Ukraine on Friday. “I am grateful for people saying that – but I still have to improve a lot, and to keep working.”
Spain’s next outing is a friendly on Tuesday against Holland – their first meeting since being thrashed 5-1 by the Dutch in the group stage at the Brazil World Cup. They will be without Barcelona’s injured Jordi Alba. Reuters
Richards fighting cancer
Cheltenham have revealed that striker Eliot Richards has been diagnosed with testicular cancer. The 23-year-old, who has made 24 appearances this season, will now undergo surgery. “The club will ensure that every assistance is offered to Eliot and his family … we expect Eliot to make a full recovery.”PA
