In the winter of 2008, he transferred from Ajax Amsterdam, to Real Madrid, but this Spanish adventure lasted only about six months, because in August 2009, he was transferred from Real Madrid, to AC Milan. 2010-2011 went to FC Shalke 04 and in 2012 he is the first Dutch soccer player to become the player with the most goals in the German Bundesliga, still playing for FC Schalke.