Dwight Yorke looks set to finally leave Birmingham City and sign for Sydney FC in Australia.
The Trinidad & Tobago international striker, who made his name with Aston Villa and Manchester United in the Nineties, has fallen out of favour at St Andrew's and is effectively a free agent.
Yorke, who has not played for Birmingham since January, is due to meet officials of Sydney in Australia this week and, for the first time, will stage contractual talks in person. A deal could be signed immediately.
Pierre Littbarski, the Sydney manager, who won a World Cup winners' medal with Germany in 1990, regards Yorke as a talismanic figure as Australian football enjoys something of a renaissance.
Yorke might have joined Sydney two months ago but World Cup qualifying commitments hindered discussions. But Littbarski is optimistic that a deal with be finalised.
"I think and have heard he will be coming over this week," Littbarski said. "He is supposed to come maybe tomorrow and hopefully we can have good discussions."
Andy Harper, the Sydney chief executive, spoke to Yorke and shares Littbarski's cautious optimism. "At the moment, it's a possibility and we are keen to have face-toface discussions," Harper said. "We have been waiting for a few months but our patience is not exhausted."
Yorke, who has started just four Premiership matches for Birmingham since joining the club from Blackburn Rovers in the summer, has visited Sydney frequently for holidays and enjoys Australia's outdoor lifestyle.
He is expected to sign a deal that will reduce his salary significantly but, at 33, he knows that his best days are long behind him. He has received offers from clubs in the Coca-Cola Championship and in the United Arab Emirates.
Littbarski hopes to have an answer from Yorke before the club leaves for its pre-season tour of Dubai on Thursday. He needs to finalise a squad of 20 players and wants to ensure that Yorke is on the list.
Sydney face Al Wahira, Dubai Cultural and Al Jazira Sports between April 11-18 in preparation for their opening World club championship qualifier against Queensland next month.
