体坛英语新闻：Klaas Jan Huntelaar extends contract with Schalke

BERLIN, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Dutchmen Klaas Jan Huntelaar and Schalke agreed on a two-year contract extension until 2015, the club said on Sunday.

After long back and forth, Huntelaar was linked to a number of European top clubs, the Dutch international finally agreed to extend his running contract with the "Royal Blues" until 2015.

"I came to this decision after long and careful consideration. I'm grateful that Schalkes club officials gave me the time. I feel home at Schalke and I believe in the club therefore I want to set a positive example," Huntelaar said on the clubs official homepage.

The "Hunter" joined Schalke in 2010 from AC Milan to score 42 goals in 73 appearances. Moreover he is part of the "Elftal", the Dutch national soccer team, where he made 34 goals in 59 caps since 2006.

"We had originally scheduled the decisive talks, together with Klaas Jan, until the next month, all the better I'm pleased that Klaas-Jan sends out a positive signal to the club for the second half of the season," Schalke director of Sport Horst Heldt said.

Struggling Schalke sits currently on seventh position, 17 points adrift from league leaders Bayern Munich. In addition to their downtrend of seven winless matches in the Bundesliga they were eliminated by Mainz from the DFB Pokal (German Cup) at the last round of sixteen.