Image: Club File Atl¢ítico de Madrid (File Photo)

BEIJING, July 31 -- Atl¢ítico Madrid have agreed to sign Spain winger Jos¢í Antonio Reyes from Arsenal on a four-year contract, the Primera Liga club said yesterday.

Atl¢ítico said Reyes would have a medical this morning and then be presented at 8 a.m. GMT before joining the squad on a pre-season tour to Amsterdam.

Spanish media have reported that the deal was worth between nine and 12 million euros (16.40 million U.S. dollars).

If the reports are accurate, the move takes Atl¢ítico's close season spending up to 70 million euros following their purchases of striker Diego Forlan, winger Simao Sabrosa, and midfielders Cleber Santana, Luis Garcia and Raul Garcia.

Reyes almost joined Atl¢ítico last year but turned them down in favor of a loan move to city rivals Real Madrid, and as a result was forced to pay Atl¢ítico compensation.

Spain winger: Jos¢í Antonio Reyes (File Photo)

The 23-year-old, who has won 21 Spanish caps, made 30 appearances with the nine-times European champions, mostly as a substitute, and scored six league goals.

He came on a substitute and scored twice in the 3-1 win over Real Mallorca on the final day of the season. The win secured Real the Primera Liga title.

Reyes joined Arsenal from Sevilla for a then club-record fee of around 17 million pounds (34.44 million dollars) in January 2004 but struggled to adapt to his adopted country.

He had made it clear he did not want to return to Arsenal after his loan period with Real ended.

(Source: Shanghai Daily/Agencies)