Tomasson to settle at Villarreal

Jon Dahl Tomasson is to return to Villarreal CF on a permanent basis from VfB Stuttgart after a successful loan spell at the end of last season.

Fine form
The prolific Denmark striker, with 46 goals in 90 internationals, scored four times in eleven Primera División games as Villarreal enjoyed a storming end to the campaign. The Spanish club won their final eight league fixtures to take fifth place and a spot in the 2007/08 UEFA Cup first round. He is the latest signing of a busy summer for Villarreal with goalkeeper Diego López, defensive duo Roberto Ayala and Joan Capdevila and midfielders Santi Cazorla and Rio Antonio Mavuba all signing at El Madrigal.

Title triumphs
Tomasson will have a two-year contract after his departure from the German champions for an undisclosed fee. In all he spent a year and a half in Stuttgart, playing a total of 30 Bundesliga games and scoring eight goals. He had previously enjoyed three productive seasons at AC Milan, helping them win the 2002/03 UEFA Champions League, although he missed out on the final, after a similarly successful spell at Feyenoord where he played a key role in the 2001/02 UEFA Cup triumph.

'Best solution'
Stuttgart sporting director Horst Heldt said: "This move is the best solution for all involved. Things didn't go well for Jon here at Stuttgart in recent times. He has performed well at Villarreal however, and was back to his old self." While Villarreal will be more than content to play in the UEFA Cup after early elimination from the UEFA Intertoto Cup last season, Stuttgart will start their European campaign in the 2007/08 UEFA Champions League group stage.