ROYSTON DRENTHE is back in Spanish football after a shock switch to fourth-tier outfit Racing Murcia.
The Dutchman looked unrecognisable from his days as a Real Madrid star as he was put through his paces alongside his new semi-pro team-mates on Thursday.
Former Real Madrid star Royston Drenthe has returned to Spain with four-tier side Racing MurciaCredit: Racing Murcia FC
He underwent a series of running tests before the squad split into two teams for passing drills.
Drenthe has admitted he needs to improve his fitness levels because the Netherlands’ coronavirus restrictions impacted his training.
He told COPE: “We couldn’t train because of the country’s rules, I had a small hamstring injury, for now I’m going little by little.
“This weekend I am not going to play, but I am going to prepare for what is coming.
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“I have to lose about three kilos. On Monday I start the diet because I always eat a lot at Christmas.”
He jokingly added: “With the aunts that I have, how can I not eat.”
Murcia will be hoping Drenthe, 33, still has some magic in his boots to help them to promotion.
They currently top Group 13B of the Tercera Division, with 20 points from nine games.
Royston Drenthe was snapped up by Real Madrid at the age of 20Credit: AFP – Getty
Drenthe had the world at his feet when he joined Real Madrid from Feyenoord at the age of 20 in 2007.
But he gradually dropped out of favour over the course of three seasons at the Bernabeu before loan spells with Hercules and Everton.
Drenthe played for a string of clubs including Reading and Sheffield Wednesday after his Real Madrid contract expired.
He had a change of career and went into rap – going by the stage name Roya2faces – after failing to find a club in 2016.
Drenthe returned to football with Sparta Rotterdam in 2018 and was most recently turning out for Dutch minnows Kozakken Boys.
Royston Drenthe played in the Premier League with EvertonCredit: Getty Images – Getty
The return to Spain with Murcia comes a month after he announced his bankruptcy.
As reported by Dutch news-site AD, a court in Breda handed down a bankruptcy order at the beginning of December.
Drenthe was confident the matter would be resolved, telling Voetbalzone that he ‘didn’t know exactly what is going on’.
He added: “I am always under a magnifying glass, but it will be resolved as it should.”
Drenthe previously revealed that he had lost £3.2million earned from his promising career.
He has admitted it was a tough decision to quit his home country for Spain at this stage of his life.
Drenthe said: “At the beginning it was a bit difficult to come, because my kids were sad, but I’m hopeful to start and do good things.
“I’ve been well received. I’m calm and happy and we’ll see how I fit into the team once I start training.”
Former Real Madrid and Everton star Royston Drenthe releases rap song in bid to begin music career
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
