Ruud van Nistelrooy admits he turned down offers to leave Real Madrid this summer. Real spent big in the summer with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Kaka recruited as they look to depose fierce rivals Barcelona.

But van Nistelrooy, 33, is confident he'll get a chance to shine, despite also facing competition from the likes of Gonzalo Higuin and Real legend Raul.

He said: "The easiest thing for me to have done would have been to leave for a lesser team. But I'm not going to leave Real Madrid.

"I want to know what I'm capable of. There are still a lot of options when it comes to playing."

Van Nistelrooy has been absent since a knee operation in November but hasn't lost faith in his ability.

He added: "I know I can play at the highest level.

"Physically, I feel better than before the injury. I only need to find my rhythm and that will come with matches."