Espanyol manager distances himself from Martin Petrov but deal still very close

Reports yesterday had said that Martin Petrov had all but signed with Liga BBVA side Espanyol. The Bulgarian winger had supposedly flown to Spain to finish ironing out the details and sign the papers. According to Espanyol manager Javier Aguirre though, that isn't the case. The former Mexico, Atletico Madrid, Osasuna, and Zaragoza manager has distanced himself from the Bulgarian winger (with a translated quote from Mundo Deportivo):

"I talk every day with the athletic director and offered me and ask me. give only my view but I was told more than a hundred names. I've only talked to Galan"

However, Marca are claiming that Petrov will be in Barcelona on Saturday to finish the paperwork and that his time at Bolton is definitely at an end. Marca go on to say that Petrov will have a medical with Espanyol on Monday morning before immediately being presented to the fans (should he pass it).

According to sources, Martin Petrov was making somewhere in the neighborhood of £25,000 per week (not the £45,000 reported in the tabloids), making him of of Bolton's highest paid players.

Unfortunately, most of that money this season went to Petrov playing on the bench. The 34-year-old Bulgarian winger participated in 14 of a possible 26 matches with eight of those 14 appearances coming off the bench. Petrov managed three goals and three assists for Bolton Wanderers in the Championship.