Birmingham City are negotiating with Greek club Panathinaikos to complete the signing of midfielder Angelos Basinas.
Blues have had a bid of £500,000 for the 29-year-old turned down but the international, who starred for Greece in their surprise triumph at Euro 2004 last summer, is keen on a switch to St Andrew's.
Sources close to Basinas say he has agreed a three-year deal worth around £17,000 a week with Blues, whose only purchase thus far this summer is the £3 million capture of Mikael Forssell.
Birmingham have the funds to return with a higher bid for Basinas and Panathinaikos are willing to sell the midfielder as he only has a year left on his contract and will be a free agent next summer.
Premiership rivals Portsmouth and Manchester City are also interested in Basinas, but Birmingham have offered the player the best salary.
With Darren Carter is on his way to neighbouring West Bromwich Albion for £1.7 million, Blues manager Steve Bruce is anxious to strengthen his midfield.
Bruce is aware Blues struggled last season following the sale of influential midfielder Robbie Savage to Blackburn Rovers in the January transfer window.
