Surrey are confident that they will get the go ahead from the Indian board for them to sign Harbhajan Singh for the 2005 English season.

"We are currently at an advanced stage of negotiation with Harbhajan," a club spokesman told the BBC. "We are hoping to secure his services and are waiting to hear."

Surrey have been looking for a replacement for Saqlain Mushtaq for several months. Saqlain, whose season was cut short by injury, was generally regarded to have been a disappointment and Surrey are in need of a cutting edge.

Harbhajan has not played county cricket before. Although he was signed by Lancashire as their overseas player in 2003, injury meant that he had to withdraw from the contract.