Oussama Assaidi (L): Liverpool

LIVERPOOL, England   ●  Liverpool  have agreed a deal for the signing of Heerenveen winger Oussama Assaidi  – as the Reds remain hopeful that Nuri Sahin will join the club.

The 24-year-old Moroccan flies into Merseyside this evening ahead of a proposed three million euro deal and is expected to complete a medical at Melwood.

However it is unlikely a deal would be finalised in time for the Heerenveen player to be in the squad for the Reds’ trip to West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.

Assaidi is understood to have caused a stir in Holland after rejecting a move to Dutch giants Ajax with Liverpool moving into pole position to capture the pacy wide-man after fending off interest from Spartak Moscow and Galatasaray.

Should Assaidi complete a move to Anfield then he will initially be seen as more of a squad player in manager Brendan Rodgers’ plans.

Capped 22 times by his country and having scored one goal, it is believed Assaidi is in the final year of his contract at Eredivisie side Heerenveen and by moving to Liverpool he could triple his current weekly wages.

Fulham were also known to be monitoring Assaidi.

●   Norwich City have announced the loan signing of left back Javier Garrido from Lazio, subject to international clearance.

Garrido, 27, joined Lazio from Manchester City in 2010 for £2.75 million and is set to return to the Premier League with Norwich.

The Spaniard will become manager Chris Hughton’s fifth summer signing, joining Steven Whittaker, Jacob Butterfield, Robert Snodgrass, and Michael Turner.

Hughton told the club’s official website: “I’m absolutely delighted to be bringing in somebody of Javier’s quality.

“It gives us real competition in the squad, and for me an important factor was the fact that he has played in the Premier League before.

“He has played in La Liga, Serie A, and the Premier League, so he is a player of real experience.”

●  Arsenal defender Kyle Bartley appears to be on the brink of joining Swansea City after the player confirmed he has had a medical with the club.

Bartley, 21, spent last season on loan at Rangers, making just 19 appearances after struggling with a hernia injury.

The centre-back signed a new contract with the Gunners last summer and has taken part in pre-season training with the team ahead of the 2012-13 campaign.

But it appears he will ply his trade at the Liberty Stadium after he tweeted on Thursday: “Swansea medical complete.”

●  Fulham defender Brede Hangeland is “not even close” to agreeing a new contract with the club, according to his agent Rune Hauge.

Hangeland, 31, has been at Fulham since 2008 but his current deal expires next summer, leading to speculation over his future.

Hauge confirmed on Norwegian TV channel tv2 that an extension is not yet imminent, and Hangeland was equally as non-committal when asked about the matter.

He said: “When we haven’t signed a contract at this point, then it’s fairly obvious that we haven’t reached an agreement. Rune is right about that.”

But the former FC Copenhagen defender did admit a decision about his future will be made at some point during the coming months.

He said: “I am quite relaxed compared to many other players who begin to unwind as they have one year left on their contract.

“As long as I do not get injured there is no problem – I’ll decide sometime during this year.”