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Real Madrid’s
talismanic striker Raul bid an emotional farewell to the La Liga club
on Monday after 16 seasons and said he was eyeing a move to the
Bundesliga or the English Premier League.

The 33-year-old, a
huge favourite among Real fans and a club captain, had tears in his
eyes when he announced his departure at a packed news conference at
Real’s Bernabeu stadium.

He acknowledged
keen interest from Bundesliga club Schalke 04, who have offered him a
two-year deal according to local media, but also said a move to England
was a possibility.

“This is a very
tough and very difficult day for me,” Raul said, before paying homage
to former Real player Alfredo Di Stefano, who is recovering from heart
and respiratory problems in a Madrid hospital.

“I feel like a player and I want to continue feeling like a player for the time I can and that my body allows,” he added.

“It’s a chance to
have an experience abroad. Schalke have shown a lot of interest but
other teams too. My future lies in England or Germany.”

Strong players

Raul’s exit follows
the announcement on Sunday that midfielder Guti, also 33 and a popular
figure with the club’s hard-core fans, was leaving and considering a
move to Turkish club Besiktas.

The pair barely
featured last season under coach Manuel Pellegrini and the club have
signed winger Angel Di Maria and midfielders Sergio Canales and Pedro
Leon to strengthen the squad for Pellegrini’s replacement, Jose
Mourinho.

“Some very strong players have come in,” Raul said.

“I had the feeling
it was time to end this.” Raul joined Real in 1992 after a brief stint
in the youth setup of city rivals Atletico and made his first-team
debut against Real Zaragoza in October 1994 at the age of 17.

He helped them to
win six Spanish league titles and three Champions League titles and
scored 323 times in 741 appearances in all competitions, according to
the club’s website (www.realmadrid.com).

In October last
year, he equalled German Gerd Mueller’s record of 66 goals in the three
main European club competitions when he scored against AC Milan in the
Champions League.

He holds the all-time scoring record for Spain with 44 goals in 102
appearances, one more goal than his successor in the number seven shirt
David Villa.