Fortuna Dusseldorf close in on PAOK attacker Salpingidis

Jul 23, 2012 2:30:00 PM

The versatile forward has long been linked with a move to Germany and is willing to take a pay cut in order to link up with the newly-promoted Bundesliga outfit

EXCLUSIVE
By Goal.com Germany

Fortuna Dusseldorf are in the process of trying to sign Dimitris Salpingidis from PAOK, Goal.com understands.

The newly-promoted Bundelisga side's general manager, Werner Wolf, claimed last week that there would be no more new arrivals at the Esprit Arena before the start of the 2012-13 campaign.

However, Goal.com has learned that Fortuna are currently trying to agree a fee with PAOK for Salpingidis, who was one of the stars of Greece's surprise run to the quarter-finals of Euro 2012.

The versatile attacker is on a net salary of €800,000 with his hometown club and Fortuna are not in a position to match those terms.

However, they are prepared to make Salpingidis one of their highest earners and it is believed that the player is willing to take a pay cut in order to at last try his luck in the Bundesliga, having been often linked with a move to Germany in recent seasons.

Goal.com also understands that Fortuna are looking to bring in a defender before they kick off their Bundesliga campaign against Augsburg on August 24.

However, for now, the focus is on signing Salpingidis, who has been capped 60 times by his country.

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