Soccer: Koller 'heading for Cottage'

Fulham have won the race to sign giant Czech international Jan Koller from Anderlecht, according to reports in Belgium.

It had been reported that the striker had elected to join German giants Borussia Dortmund, who could offer him Champions League football next season.

But Koller told the Belgian news agency, 'Belga': "It took a long time for Fulham to give me a contract but after a while I have reached an agreement."

Dortmund were apparently willing to pay Anderlecht's valuation of around £9.5m for the tall frontman but Fulham chairman Mohamed al-Fayed has promised to bankroll manager Jean Tigana's bid for further honours following the club's First Division championship-winning season.

Koller, the Belgian league's player of the year for 2000, joined Anderlecht from Lokeren two years ago and won two titles with Belgium's most famous club.

Anderlecht chairman Roger Vanden Stock revealed that the deal with Dortmund faltered when the Bundesliga club lowered their offer.

"Dortmund lowered their offer after reading valuations in the Belgian press," he said.

"The Press is to blame. They announced amounts in the newspapers which made the Germans lower their offer."

Ranko Stojic, who according to the Belgian newspaper Gazet van Antwerpen has been acting for Fulham in their bid to sign the player, claimed Koller could arrive in London on Friday.

He revealed the west London club had faxed a new offer for the player which had quickly been accepted.

"I felt that Koller wanted to go to England and that's why Fulham made the extra effort possible.

"He could go to London [on Friday]."