Bremen to sign Vranjes

Stuttgart's Jurica Vranjes has agreed on a summer switch to Werder Bremen.

Vranjes - whose contract expires in June - is sure he will get his career back on track following criticism that he has wasted his enormous talent.

"I don't feel like a flop, but at Stuttgart I had to compete with Zvonimir Soldo, who is the best defensive midfielder in the Bundesliga," said Vranjes.

"I am sure that I will prove myself at Bremen, just as I did when starring for Croatia," declared the 25-year-old, who committed himself to the Weserstadion until 2008.

The former NK Osiek player joined Stuttgart from Bayern Leverkusen in 2003.

While he was a regular starter in his first year, his fate changed when Matthias Sammer succeeded the Bayern Munich-bound Felix Magath and Vranjes was forced to spend most of the season warming the bench.

Vranjes is expected to fill the void left by the German international Fabian Ernst, who agreed to move to Schalke 04.