PFDC - TEHRAN, Javad Nekounam's future will be decided on Sunday, Iranian and Spanish sources report alike.

The 31-year-old Iran captain is Osasuna's highest paid player and Osasuna is eager to either reduce his salary or transfer him to another team.

Nekounam has offers from Qatar's Al Gharafa and Iran's Esteghlal, but has little interest in the first due to family reasons whereas the Tehran giants are unwilling to pay the demanded transfer fee of €2.5 million.

However, recent reports suggest that Nekounam's transfer to Esteghlal will take place anyhow.

Talks between Osasuna's management and Nekounam agent Reza Fazeli on Thursday seem to have been unsuccessful with the defensive midfielder's return him after seven years abroad, six of them in La Liga, is becoming very likely.

“Following negotiations with Nekounam, the player is ready to join Esteghlal and will have to negotiate with Osasuna officials to release him,” Esteghlal's general manager Ali Fatollahzadeh was quoted by 'Tehran Times'.

“Nekounam will sign a contract with Esteghlal on Sunday,” he added.

The transfer would shrink Iran's formerly large contingent of European based players to three: Masoud Shojaei at Osasuna, Ashkan Dejagah at Vfl Wolfsburg and Alireza Haghighi at Rubin Kazan. Omid Nazari of Ängelholms FF still has to debut for Team Melli.