AL Ittihad have reportedly made a major breakthrough in their pursuit of Mahamadou Doumbia, with Antwerp accepting their latest bid for the player. The midfielder is now locked in contract discussions as they look to get a deal done as quickly as they can. While key details still need resolving, the player's move now appears to be a matter of “when,” not “if.” The transfer remains in progress, and with no other clubs involved, AL Ittihad look to be negotiating from a comfortable position. So far this season, AL Ittihad are steady at both ends (2.5 goals scored per game, 1.5 goals conceded per game). The role for Mahamadou Doumbia would be to keep that balance while lifting performances across the pitch. Reports suggest AL Ittihad are monitoring Hugo Larsson, Pedro Henrique Silva dos Santos and Bruno Fernandes whereas Antwerp have not been associated with other players at this stage. More on this story as it develops. Need more AL Ittihad transfer rumours? Follow @PlayerSwitchCom on Twitter for up-to-the-minute news from AL Ittihad.