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Real Madrid linked with Ruud return as Mourinho gets his wish

Ruud van Nistelrooy claimed that Real Madrid want to re-sign him after scoring Hamburg's winner on Saturday night.
Ruud van Nistelrooy claimed that Real Madrid want to re-sign him after scoring Hamburg's winner on Saturday night.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • Jose Mourinho hoping to land a new striker after Real Madrid sanction a signing
  • Real could be without the injured Gonzalo Higuain for the rest of this season
  • Former Real star Ruud van Nistelrooy claims he is wanted by the Spanish club
  • Villarreal consolidate third place in La Liga with 4-2 victory over Osasuna

(CNN) -- Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has revealed that the Spanish club's bosses have relented and will seek to sign him a new striker after all.

Mourinho had initially been told that he could not replace Gonzalo Higuain, who could miss the rest of this season after having back surgery.

France international Karim Benzema has been filling in for the Argentine, but Mourinho wants more options as Real seek to stop Barcelona retaining the Spanish title and also to win the European Champions League for the first time since 2002.

"I am sticking to my beliefs. I think it would be good to have another forward for what is left of the season," Mourinho told Madrid's website ahead of Sunday's trip to bottom club Almeria.

It is not just any club which have expressed interest. Real are the only club which can change my mind
--Ruud van Nistelrooy
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"The club is looking into the possibility of signing a forward, which pleases me to no end."

Real have been linked with a move to bring veteran Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy back to the Santiago Bernabeu, and the player's German club Hamburg confirmed the La Liga side's interest on its website on Saturday night.

Hamburg also referred to comments the 34-year-old made after scoring the only goal against Schalke, who this season signed another former Real striker in Raul.

"The reports are correct. It has been a strange week, it has been hard to concentrate and I am just glad it worked out," Van Nistelrooy, who left Madrid a year ago, said in quotes carried by the AFP news agency.

"We just need to see what happens in the next few days, but it is not easy for me. It is not just any club which have expressed interest, it is Real. They are the only club which can make me change my mind."

Real trail Barcelona by two points ahead of the halfway point of the Spanish season, with the Catalan club hosting Malaga on Sunday.

Third-placed Villarreal won 4-2 at home to Osasuna on Saturday to be 10 points adrift of Barcelona.

The highlight of the match was a superb goal from halfway by Ruben Cani that put Villarreal 2-1 ahead.

Espanyol joined fourth-placed Valencia on 34 points with a 2-1 win at Sevilla as striker Jose Callejon twice beat the offside trap to score in each half, doubling his tally for this season.

Sevilla substitute Alvaro Negredo scored in time added on despite an apparent handball, but his team stayed in 10th place.

Athletic Bilbao moved up to sixth place with a 2-1 win at home to Racing Santander following goals inside the first 10 minutes from Javi Martinez and Iker Muniain.

Ivan Bolado reduced the deficit with 15 minutes to play, but his fellow striker Pedro Munitis was sent off as the match came to an ill-tempered close with five players booked at the end.

Ninth-placed Getafe crashed to a 4-0 defeat at home to Real Sociedad, who ended a run of four defeats as Mikel Aranburu scored a late double.

Real Zaragoza moved up to third from bottom above Levante after beating their relegation rivals 1-0 as Gabi Fernandez scored the winner on halftime for the home team.

Sporting Gijon joined Zaragoza on 16 points, with a better goal difference, after beating Hercules 2-0 thanks to first-half goals from David Barral and Nacho Cases.