Coventry City are poised to snap up Moroccan midfielder Mustapha Hadji for £3.5 million.

Sky Blues chairman Bryan Richardson flew back from Spain last night after negotiations with the 27-year-old’s club Deportivo La Caruna and a signing is just days away.

Hadji, one of the stars of last year’s World Cup and the 1998 African Footballer of the Year, joined Caruna from Sporting Lisbon in December and helped them finish six in the Spanish First Division last season.

Coventry have already splashed out £1 million on Hadji’s Moroccan team mate Youssef Chippo from Porto.

Hadji’s agent Lucidio Riberio said:

"The deal should be finalised in the next few days. We have not been talking about a loan agreement – just a transfer."

But Coventry will not be signing Croatian star Davor Suker. They have been linked with player who has been released by Real Madrid but manager Gordon Strachan ruled out the move.

He said:

"No it’s not true. It is rubbish and I am not sure where it came from."

Meanwhile Aston Villa will have to up their £4.25 million bid to land Coventry’s Dutch midfielder George Boateng.

Villa boss John Gregory confirmed that they had upped their £3 million bid for the 23-year-old but it still falls short of Coventry’s £5 million valuation.