Atletico's Gronkjaer to have medical at Stuttgart

Atletico Madrid's Danish international midfielder Jesper Gronjkaer is on the verge of joining VfB Stuttgart after being given the go-ahead to travel to Germany to undergo a medical with the Bundesliga side.

"As yet there has been no agreement between the three parties," Atletico said yesterday.

"But given the desire that the player has shown to change team, Atletico Madrid have allowed him to travel to Stuttgart to be examined by the club's medical staff."

Atletico said that the 27-year-old winger had put in a transfer request because he had been unable to adapt to life in Spain and said a move to Germany would allow him to be closer to his home country.

The former Chelsea player signed a two-year deal with Atletico in January for a reported fee of two million euros after a brief and unsuccessful spell at Birmingham City.

Despite some promising early performances for Atletico, he failed to make a real impact and his season was cut short when he cracked a bone in his right leg at the start of May.

Atletico, who have already signed Bulgarian midfielder Martin Petrov, Serbia striker Mateja Kezman and Argentine forward Maxi Rodriguez in the close season, said that if Gronkjaer left the club they would look to recruit another player to replace him.