Osvaldo to join Boca Juniors
If Argentina-born Osvaldo, who has ended a loan spell at Inter Milan after falling out with coach Roberto Mancini, passes a medical, the team he supported as a boy will become the 11th club of his career.
Osvaldo, 29, left Buenos Aires side Huracan in 2005 for a long period in Europe that also took in Italian sides AS Roma and Juventus and spells in Spain and England.
Osvaldo was disciplined by the FA and Southampton last season, and Inter last month, over incidents on and off the pitch.
Saints offloaded him after he head-butted skipper Jose Fonte during training.
“It’s the biggest dream of my life,” Osvaldo said as he arrived in Buenos Aires. “I’m very happy, very nervous about all this… I haven’t signed yet so I’m not saying anything for now.
“I know full well what it means to wear the Boca shirt. I have faith that everything will work out well.”
Osvaldo, who left Saints in January 2014 to play for Juve and then scored five goals in 12 Serie A appearances for Inter this season, will be on loan for six months with an option to extend the deal if Boca advance in South America’s Libertadores Cup.
Southampton have been Osvaldo’s club since 2013 when former manager Mauricio Pochettino signed his compatriot from Roma having also had the striker in his Espanyol team from 2010-11.
Osvaldo, a dual national who first played for Italy in 2011, has 14 caps and four goals for the Azzurri.