Hamburg captain Rafael van der Vaart says he is willing to take a pay cut on his 3.5 million euros ($4.4m) a year contract, due to expire next June, in order to stay at the club.

"Everyone knows Hamburg are my club and I am open to anything," the 31-year-old told German magazine Sport Bild.

"(Negotiations) certainly won't fail on the question of money."

The Netherlands midfielder, who has made more than 100 appearances for the Oranje, is in his second stint at the club.

He left the Bundesliga strugglers in 2008 to play for Real Madrid, then Tottenham Hotspurs before returning in 2012.

Hamburg are currently 15th, just above the Bundesliga relegation places, ahead of Saturday's game at sixth-placed Augsburg.

But Van der Vaart was full of praise for coach Joe Zinnbauer, who took charge in September after Mirko Slomka was sacked.

"He has definitely improved the team, in defence and in our counter-attacking game, but we mustn't sit back and we must give more at Augsburg," said Van der Vaart.