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Sriwijaya FC is closing in on a deal to sign Uzbekistan striker Ulugbek Bakaev, with the South Sumatra club and the player’s agent set to meet on Saturday.

“Abdul Salam [Bakaev’s agent] accepted our invitation for a discussion in Palembang on January 2, about the possibility to get Bakaev’s signature,” Sriwijaya coach Rahmad Darmawan said on Sunday.

Rahmad, who has targeted Bakaev since the preseason, said he had been in contact with Salam and Bakaev only by phone and they failed to reach a deal. He hoped the result would be different after face-to-face talks.

The disagreement so far, Rahmad said, was largely about wages. Reports said the 31-year-old striker demanded Rp 1.5 billion ($159,000) per year, while Sriwijaya caps foreign players’ salaries at Rp 1.1 billion per year.

The Indonesian Super League’s second transfer window opens on Jan. 27 and lasts for a month.

Bakaev, who is a free agent after his contract with Uzbekistan Premier League champion Bunyodkor expired at the end of last season, is also an Uzbekistan national team striker. He has scored seven goals in 23 caps.

Sriwijaya still has an open spot for a foreigner, with Anoure Obiora, Keith Kayamba Gumbs, Precious Emuerejaye and Zah Rahan already on its books.

Rahmad said Bakaev’s 1.83-meter frame would be a boost to Sriwijaya’s firepower up front.

“His tall stature will make him a good target man up front to deal with crosses from both flanks,” he said. “He’s also Asian, which makes him a better addition.”

Sriwijaya is currently seventh in the Super League with 17 points from 11 matches, 10 points behind league leader Arema Malang.

Arema, meanwhile, claimed talks with coach Robert Rene Alberts went well after a brief revolt by players and staff. Alberts and several players threatened to leave the club during a news conference on Dec. 23, accusing Arema management of breaking promises it made to its staff.

“We’re still in negotiations with coach Robert, and so far the talks have went very well,” club secretary Muhammad Taufan, who is in charge of negotiations, told the Jakarta Globe on Monday. “We’re communicating by e-mail right now because he’s on holiday until January 3, and we’ll finalize the talks after he’s back in Malang.”

Taufan said Alberts told him about all that had gone wrong at the club and how he wanted it fixed. News reports over the weekend suggested an unnamed agent had offered Alberts and Singapore striker Noh Alam Shah to PSM Makassar.

“People can say what they want, but that won’t jeopardize our discussions,” Taufan said. “Robert and Alam Shah are still Arema’s and they’ll be back here in Malang.”

Antara, JG