Dortmund close in on St Etienne's Aubameyang

Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund began pre-season training on Wednesday with Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang set to join from French League Cup winners Saint Etienne. "He has been given permission to attend the medical examination. The contract details and the financial plan are still to be clarified but I have no doubt that we will reach an agreement," said Saint Etienne club president Roland Romeyer. Dortmund's director Michael Zorc has been in France since Monday and confirmed they are in talks with the 24-year-old, who scored 19 goals and created 14 assists as Saint Etienne finished fifth in the French league last season. "We are confident it will happen quickly," Zorc told the Ruhr Nachrichten newspaper. Aubameyang is reported to be set to sign a five-year deal, for a cost of 13 million euros ($16.8m, £11m) and would be Dortmund's second new signing after Greek defender Sokratis, who cost 9.5 million euros from Werder Bremen. Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp told Sky Sport News: "Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is good, he is a very interesting player, but I can not say more until tomorrow." Both Bayer Leverkusen and Premier League side Newcastle United are said to also be chasing Aubameyang, who last season helped Saint Etienne win their first trophy for 31 years. Dortmund are in training at Kirchberg, Austria, until Saturday and have a pre-season tournament on July 20 and 21 hosted by Borussia Moenchengladbach and including Hamburg and European champions Bayern Munich. Source: AFP