Real Madrid have completed the signing of Germany World Cup star Mesut Ozil from Werder Bremen.
The 21-year-old was in outstanding form during Germany's run to the semi-finals, and had attracted interest from some of Europe's biggest clubs.
The two clubs are believed to have agreed a fee of about 15m euros (£12.4m) for a player with one year left on his Bremen contract.
Madrid are set to unveil him at a news conference on Wednesday afternoon.
A statement on the Real website paid fulsome tribute to Ozil's qualities.
"His unique touch, unmatched individual technique, excellent ball control and deadly last pass make the German midfielder one of the brightest up-and-coming stars in European football," read the statement.
Ozil, who follows his Germany team-mate Sami Khedira to the Bernabeu, joined Werder Bremen from Schalke in 2008, winning the DFB Cup and finishing as a runner-up in the Uefa Cup.
"We respect that Mesut wants to go and take the next step in his career," said Werder Bremen's director of sport Klaus Allofs.
Ozil won the European Under-21 title with Germany in 2009, and made his debut for the senior national side in the same year.
He quickly established himself in Joachim Loew's plans and was one of the stars of the 2010 World Cup, making the shortlist for the player of the tournament.
Ozil scored a memorable goal in the group stages against Ghana but it was in his role as a creator that he really shone, laying on numerous opportunities for his team-mates as they brushed England and Argentina aside on their way to the last four.
In the second round against England, Ozil was in devastating form as a youthful Germany team put their bitter rivals to the sword, and he continued in the same vein against Argentina in the quarter-finals.
The left-footer has become new Real coach Jose Mourinho's sixth major signing of the summer, following Khedira, former Chelsea star Ricardo Carvalho, Spanish duo Pedro Leon and Sergio Canales and Argentina's Angel di Maria.
Source: BBC Sport
-- Edited by I-CO on Tuesday 17th of August 2010 09:19:15 PM
well dem have financial backing suh mi nuh expect anything less. but they have to get rid of some of their midfield there is surplus in there with the arrival of ozil.