Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink - one of the Premier
League's best-ever goalscorers - has announced his retirement with
immediate effect.
The veteran striker - who stands seventh in the list of
the Premier League's all-time leading goalscorers - was released by
Cardiff at the end of last season and has been unable to find a new
club, although had been training with Championship outfit
Norwich.
The Suriname-born Dutch international began his career with AZ
Alkmaar in 1990, before taking in spells at nine other clubs over
the next 18 years.
His first taste of life in England came in 1997 when he joined
Leeds, where he bagged 20-plus goals in consecutive seasons.
However, the Whites refused to hand him an improved contract and
he moved on to Atletico Madrid in a £12million deal.
He was back in the Premier League in 2000 when Chelsea paid
£15million to take him to Stamford Bridge, and he enjoyed a
productive four-year stay in the capital.
Hasselbaink moved on to Middlesbrough in 2004, Charlton three
years later, and finally to Cardiff in the summer of 2007.
His one season in Wales was disrupted by injury, although he did
feature in the Bluebirds' FA Cup final defeat to Portsmouth.
He won 23 caps for his country, scoring nine goals, and appeared
at the 1998 World Cup finals.
