Marcus Berg looks set to finally complete his transfer from Panathinaikos to Al Ain for €3 million (Dh12.3m).
The Sweden striker, 30, had agreed last week to move to the Arabian Gulf League side and visited the Garden City to discuss his financial package and accommodation, although the two clubs could not agree on a fee. Al Ain had originally wanted to pay €2.5m for Berg, but Panathinaikos demanded closer to the €5m release clause in the player’s contract, which runs until June 2019.
However, a member of the Greek side’s board will travel to Al Ain on Tuesday - Berg’s agent is believed to also be in attendance - to iron out any differences between the clubs, clearing the way for the transfer to be finalised. Berg is expected to sign a three-year deal with Al Ain.
A prominent Swedish international, the frontman has been prolific for Panathinaikos since joining from Germany’s Hamburg in 2013, scoring 73 goals in 116 league matches. He top-scored in the 2016/17 Greek Super League’s regular season, finding the net 22 times in 28 games.
Berg, who began his professional career with IFK Gothenburg and also represented briefly PSV Eidhoven in Holland, is a regular for his national team and was part of the side that defeated France in their World Cup qualifier on June 9. In all, he has featured 47 times for his country, scoring 12 goals.
Al Ain, Asian Champions League runners-up last year, have already recruited Japanese midfielder Tsukasa Shiotani as they seek to conclude their transfer business early. They play Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal in the Champions League quarter-finals later this summer, with the first leg taking place on August 21.
Al Ain remain in the market for one more foreign player, with Al Nassr defender Bruno Uvini linked strongly. Zoran Mamic, the Al Ain manager, knows the player well from his time in charge of the Saudi side last year.
It remains to be seen if Al Ain will choose to bolster their attack instead, though, since Colombian winger Danilo Asprilla is allowed to leave. Turkey and China have been touted as possible destinations.