Ruud van Nistelrooy has stated he wants to return to Spain when he leaves Bundesliga side Hamburg this summer.
Veteran striker van Nistelrooy, who has been heavily linked with a move to English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur, now appears to be close to a return to Spain.
The 34-year-old Dutch striker previously played for Real Madrid in La Liga for five years before he moved to Hamburg, and a return to the Spanish giants was mooted during the January transfer window.
Van Nistelrooy has made it clear he intends to leave Germany this summer and it seems likely that Malaga will be his destination.
The Spanish side have been given a huge cash injection from Sheikh Al-Thani, and the owner is giving manager Manuel Pellegrini funds to bolster the side ahead of the new La Liga season.
"I spent some great years at Real Madrid. I love the country and it would be fantastic if I could once more play football there," said van Nistelrooy.