Kuijt flies to Feyenoord

The promising FC Utrecht striker Dirk Kuijt will join Feyenoord on a four-year contract in the summer for a fee in the region of €1m.

Four-year deal
The 22-year-old has been at Utrecht since 1998, making his name in the first team at the age of 17. "At the end of last year I first heard of the interest from Feyenoord, and two weeks ago we reached a principal agreement," said Kuijt, after his side beat SC Excelsior 3-1 in the Dutch Cup last night. "This morning we reached a final agreement."

Partnership prospect
The Katwijk-born Kuijt is looking forward to joining his new club and believed he had been signed to play alongside Pierre van Hooijdonk, although the veteran frontman is still negotiating a contract extension. "I am looking forward to playing with a personality like him, and I really believe that we will fit together," Kuijt said.

European hope
The forward, who has scored eleven goals in 21 league matches this season, along with two in the UEFA Cup first-round defeat by Legia Warszawa, will hope he can sign off in style at seventh-placed Utrecht by helping them make a late charge for a European place next season.

Third place
Feyenoord currently sit third in the Eredivisie, ten points clear of the side immediately below them, Roda JC, and are almost certain to be competing on the European stage next term. The Rotterdam club will get a close view of their new acquisition on 4 May when the teams face each other in Utrecht.