Mathijsen fills Hamburg hole

Hamburger SV have moved quickly to fill the gap left by Khalid Boulahrouz's departure with the signing of Netherlands defender Joris Mathijsen from AZ Alkmaar.

Four-year contract
The 26-year-old product of the Willem II youth system has already taken part in his first training session with the Bundesliga club, having passed a medical. Mathijsen, capped 12 times by his country, has signed a four-year contract with Hamburg who have returned to the UEFA Champions League for the first time in six seasons by knocking out CA Osasuna in a tense third qualifying round tie.

Big challenge
Mathijsen, who had spent two campaigns with AZ, said: "HSV are a big club with big players and I am looking forward to the challenge. My decision did not depend on their UEFA Champions League qualification, but I did watch the Osasuna game on television and aged about five years. When Nigel de Jong scored the equaliser, I jumped up and cheered." Following the sale of Boulahrouz to Chelsea FC, Mathijsen is set to partner Vincent Kompany in central defence.