Former Germany striker Kevin Kuranyi said on his website on Sunday that he was leaving Schalke for a deal with Russia's Dynamo Moscow. Kuranyi was one of the Bundesliga's top scorers this season with 18 goals and Schalke ended the season in second place, after Bayern Munich.

"After carefully weighing all the arguments and following several discussions, I have decided to transfer to Russia with Dynamo Moscow," Kuranyi wrote in a "letter to his fans."

"I always said that the whole package must be right. I have this feeling with Dynamo. One aspect is certainly the financial one," he said.

The 28-year-old will leave on a free transfer on July 1 and is said to have signed a three-year contract paying more than 6 million euros ($7.6 million) per season. That more than doubles his current salary.

Despite a slow start in the Russian season and a current rank of 10th in their league, Dynamo shouldn't be underestimated, Kuranyi said. Dynamo has won 11 national titles, although the most recent victory was in 1976.

No spot on the national team

Despite a successful league season, Kuranyi was not chosen for Germany's national squad for the World Cup in South Africa this June.

National coach Joachim Loew kicked him off the team after he walked out on the team during a World Cup qualifier in October 2008 after being left off that day's line-up. At the time Loew said he would never ask him to play again and resisted pressure to include him on the World Cup team.

hf/AFP/dpa
Editor: Sonia Phalnikar