Shefki Kuqi is close to joining German second division side Koblenz, according to the club.

The striker, who turned down a new contract at Crystal Palace, had claimed approaches from Middlesbrough and West Brom but now looks set to link up with his younger brother Njazi at Koblenz.

Koblenz manager Uwe Rapolder told Rhein-Zeitung newspaper: "We have discussed the move and we are confident. I am not afraid of losing out on his signature.

"We stick by our word and he sticks to his word. He will be playing for TuS Koblenz this season."

Kuqi, who revealed at the start of the month he would not be returning to Selhurst Park, had been spotted training with the German side in May and again two weeks ago, as the picture on the right shows.

His decision to leave Palace follows what was probably his best season at the club, finishing as top scorer with 10 goals despite being frozen out of the side for the first two months of the campaign.

Since signing from Blackburn for £2.5m in August 2006, Kuqi scored 18 times in 83 appearances for Palace.