Russian striker expected to sign for Premier League new boys in the next 24 hours in a move that will make him comfortably the highest paid player in the club's history

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By Wayne Veysey ¦ Chief Correspondent Reading are set to clinch the signing of Pavel Pogrebnyak within the next 24 hours after agreeing a £12 million package,can reveal.The Russian striker, who is a free agent, has agreed a four-year contract to join the Premier League new boys, worth £60,000-a-week.Goal.com understands that the terms of the deal are both twice as long and twice as financially rewarding as the two-year, £30,000-a-week contract proposed by Fulham.Pogrebnyak has passed a medical at the Madejski Stadium and will sign for Reading subject to gaining a work permit.He will become comfortably the highest paid player in Reading’s history in a move that shatters the club’s wage structure and is also a huge statement of intent under the new ownership of Russian tycoon Anton Zingarevich.Pogrebnyak’s impending switch has come as a blow to Fulham, who tried to sign the 28-year-old on a permanent deal following an impressive loan spell in the second half of last season that yielded six goals in 12 matches.The striker, who has returned from Euro 2012 after playing only the final 18 minutes of Russia’s failed campaign, is available on a free transfer after his contract with Stuttgart expired this month.The German club wanted £3million for Pogrebnyak in January but Fulham were unable to agree a deal as the transfer deadline ticked down and will now have to switch their attention elsewhere after losing out on the player altogether.