Athletic Bilbao midfielder Pablo Orbaiz is set to join Russian outfit Rubin Kazan according to the club’s official website.
A statement says the club has given the 33-year-old permission to miss training to travel to Kazan, where he is expected to sign a new contract if both parties can agree terms.
Orbaiz, whose contract at San Mames expires in June 2013, is one of the players who has been told by Athletic boss Marcelo Bielsa he does not figure in his future plans after spending the 2011-12 campaign on loan at Greek club Olympiacos, where he linked up with former Bilbao boss Ernesto Valverde and won a League and Cup double.
Pamplona-born Orbaiz has been with the Basques since signing from Osasuna in 2000 and has played 318 official matches – 263 in La Liga, 39 Copa del Rey games, 14 in European competition and two Supercopas de Espana.
He will become the third Spanish player at the Tsentrainyi Stadion alongside defenders Cesar Navas and Ivan Marcano.
