FC Barcelona close to Kluivert deal

FC Barcelona hope to announce the signing of striker Patrick Kluivert from AC Milan before the start of the new Spanish season this weekend.

The Catalan giants have agreed a fee with Milan of £9 million and have made progress with the personal terms the player will receive after his disappointing time in Italy. he arrived only one season ago after a move from Ajax Amsterdam under the Bosman ruling but failed to impress and scored only nine goals in his time with Milan. Thery have been trying to sell the player for the last six months and both Arsenal and manchester United came very close to capturing the player who restored some credibility to his damaged reputation during the recent World Cup in France.

Kluivert will reunite with the coach who gave him his first team chance at Ajax - Louis Van Gaal who giuded Barc a to the Spanish league title last season and won the cup competition there as well. Kluivert will become the sixth Dutch signing for Van Gaal since he took over at the Camp Nou and brought three Dutch coaches with him also.