Hamburg are said to have agreed a three-million-euro deal with Spanish side Villareal for Sorin and pending a medical the Argentine left back is due to sign a three-year contract before Thursday's deadline.

"We hope that he is in Hamburg on Wednesday," said Hamburg spokesman Jorn Wolf to SportBild magazine.

The 30-year-old Sorin, capped 75 times by his country, will not stay long in Germany as Argentina play a friendly against Brazil in London on Sunday.

"Sorin is captain of the Argentina national team and a class act," said Hamburg sporting director Dietmar Beiersdorfer.

"We have a very young team and it is good if we have some experienced players like Sorin have been tested regularly at top level.

"Negotiations are at an advanced stage but the deal is not done."

Qualification for the Champions League has given Hamburg extra funds and the German club paid AZ Alkmaar six million euros for Dutch international defender Joris Mathijsen last week.

Hamburg also offloaded Dutch defender Khalid Boulharouz to English Premiership champions Chelsea in a deal worth 10.3 million euros.