These past few days must have been very busy for you and your family.

Yes, they have. Everything’s happened very fast.

You nearly joined in the summer, so you must be delighted for having finally signed for Real Madrid.

I’m very happy that it happened this time. It is a dream come true.

What does your family think of you joining the biggest club in the world?

They are very happy for me because they know I have been working to achieve this for a very long time. They are very happy because they see my dream has come true.

You must be very proud of yourself.

Of course.

Have you had a chance to see anything of Madrid yet?

Not much. I’ve only spent one night here and already know some places.

Being the sixth Dutch player will surely help you settle into the side quickly

I’m sure it will help. Many players have already told me they wish to help.

I heard Wesley Sneijder sent you a text message.

Many have and it was very nice of them to do so. It makes me feel at ease here in Madrid. I think I will adapt quickly.

You must be looking forward to playing with Wesley again.

Of course. I played with him at Ajax and witnessed his development there. We met again on the Dutch national team. It is very nice to end up on the same team as him again.

What do you think of him as a player?

I think he was already good when he signed for Real Madrid, but he just kept getting better. This is great because I also hope to improve.

Johnny Heitinga plays for Atletico Madrid. Have you spoken to him yet?

Yes. It’s nice to have so many people from Ajax here in Madrid and to meet up again. It’s a dream come true.

You’ll have to put your friendship aside when you face him in the next derby.

Of course. We have to win. I’ll play for the three points at stake.

The first Dutchman to join Real Madrid in recent years was Ruud van Nistelrooy, a player you are often compared to.

He is a very good striker and I believe he will come back from his injury. I hope he does.

Is he a player that you watch and try to emulate?

I was in the youth system of PSV Eindhoven when he was on the first team so I watched him play a lot.

Your goal-scoring record is very impressive. Do you think you can bring that from the Dutch league to La Liga?

I think if you can score in one league you can score everywhere. There are many great players on this team and my job is to score, so I’ll do my best at that.

What players did you look up to when you were younger?

Romario, Bergkamp... There were several.

Van Basten is someone you are also compared to and it must have been very exciting for you to work with him.

Of course. He was a striker. He gives good tips, so it is great to be able to train with Van Basten. I am grateful for the opportunity he gave me and for allowing me to join Real Madrid, which is where everybody wants to play.

You always wanted to be a footballer, right?

Yes. It was my destiny.

When you were at De Graafschap, you played as a left back, as a centre midfielder... Even as a goalkeeper...

I was very young, only ten when the rest players on the team were 12. I began my run there as a left back and gradually moved forward. I was always better up front, but I had to start somewhere.

When did you realise scoring goals was your speciality?

Probably when I was between 10 and 12 years old. I think I scored a goal around that time and loved it so much that I realised I was fated to do that more often.

You entered the scene as a striker at AGOVV Apeldoorn...

I spent a year there because I didn’t get many chances to play at PSV. The most important thing for a footballer is to play because it helps you improve. I spent a nice year at that club. I met very nice people that gave me a chance that eventually led to my signing for Ajax.

You were so good at AGOVV that they named a stand at the stadium after you!

It’s a real honour, especially taking into account that most people have to die to get something like that!

You then played for Herenveen before signing for Ajax.

Yes. I was there for a year and a half. A had a good time. The club had a very quiet youth club with nice people. It was a good club for me to play for.

You later had a great run at Ajax, scoring 105 goals in 128 games.

That’s nice. I like to score as many goals as I can.

They also made you captain at the beginning of this season. Did that make it harder to leave the club?

Yes. I was the captain, but Real Madrid suddenly approached me again and I had a good feeling about it. This is good for my future.

What’s been your highlight during your career, besides signing for Real Madrid?

Probably my first games with the Dutch national team and signing for Ajax. Also all the individual and collective awards I’ve won.

The great news for you is that you will be able to play in the Champions League this season, something you have been looking forward to.

Of course. I played in the Champions League during my first year at Ajax. Everyone likes to play at the highest possible level. It will be a great opportunity to play in the competition again.

You will unfortunately miss the clash with Barcelona at Camp Nou, but you must be looking forward to it nonetheless.

Naturally, but I’ll be there for the Madrid game.

What would you like to say to the fans?

I will play passionately and score goals to help the team win. The main thing for me is to help the squad.

How would you describe yourself as a player?

I don’t really like to talk about myself... I like to play inside the box and with midfielders capable of assisting me with great passes between defenders.