Soccer-Argentine midfielder Solari set to join Penarol

MONTEVIDEO, Sept 1 (Reuters) - Former Real Madrid and Inter Milan midfielder Santiago Solari is poised to leave Mexico's Atlante for Penarol, the Uruguayan champions said on Wednesday.

Should the deal go through, Solari will join Marcelo Gallardo in the Uruguayan first division after his former Argentina team mate left River Plate in the off-season to play for Penarol's arch-rivals Nacional.

"Talks are well advanced, with a verbal agreement with the president of Atlante," Penarol vice-president Edgar Welker said.

"I spoke to Solari yesterday and he was very happy, motivated, keen to come here," Welker told Uruguay's Sport890 radio.

The 33-year-old Solari, who began his professional career at River Plate, joined Atlante from San Lorenzo last year after a decade in Europe at Atletico Madrid, Real and Inter.

Penarol, five times Libertadores Cup winners, are taking part in this year's Copa Sudamericana, South America's equivalent of the Europa League, after a six-year absence from international competition.

(Reporting by Giovanna Fleitas, writing by Rex Gowar in Buenos Aires, editing by Tony Jimenez. To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)