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Real Madrid Dutch midfielder Rafael van der Vaart has now made it clear that he will certainly not leave Real Madrid for another Spanish team.

"The night that head coach Manuel Pellegrini told me that I was no longer needed was a dreadful evening. I never expected that and I was really disappointed," was Van der Vaart quoted as saying by Dutch sports weeklySportweek.

"Joining Real in the summer of 2008 was like a dream come true for me. I wouldn't have want to miss it, even though things never got going as I expected. I'm not a quitter, but my situation at the club leaves me no other choice but to move on.

"I'm not too happy with the way Madrid is treating me, but that's football. A player doesn't exactly have a choice when a club decides that you're surplus to requirements. Ending up at the club of your choice pretty much is a luxury.

"I don't want to join a club that snaps me up just because I'm a cheap transfer target. I want to be important again at my new club. The World Championships are coming up and I need to be ready.

"Joining another club in Spain isn't an option for me. Every club is a step back when you've played for Real Madrid. Even teams such as Valencia and Barcelona. I want to enjoy playing football again and I want to do so outside Spain."