SURREY are in negotiations to sign Pakistani international Sohail Tanvir as their overseas player for the remainder of the season.

Last week the Surrey Mirror exclusively revealed that Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh would not be coming to the Oval this summer as expected, and the club were looking into other potential overseas players for the last six weeks of the season.

Now it seems the club's management have turned their attentions to Tanvir, as they bid for an immediate return to the County Championship's division one.

In a media release at the end of last week, the Brown Caps' managing director of cricket, Gus Mackay was quoted as saying: "We can confirm discussions have taken place with a number of players about a short-team deal, including the Pakistani left-arm seamer Sohail Tanvir.

"However, despite recent reports in the Pakistani media, a deal has yet to be concluded."

Indeed there have been a number of positive soundings coming out of Pakistan, but it would appear that everything hinges on Tanvir obtaining a work permit.

The 24-year-old, who has played two Tests and 31 one-day internationals, and who also averages more than 30 with the bat, has said: "I am very honoured and excited at getting a one-year deal with a renowned county like Surrey.

"I have signed the contract letter and after getting the work permit and visa I would leave for the UK."

Following the news that Harbhajan would not be coming, the Brown Caps' Professional Cricket Manager, Chris Adams said: "It may be that ultimately we'll either go for someone who is really good or we'll go for someone who is, perhaps, a bit untried and untested, who might just be fantastic.

"When we had a decision to make down at Sussex about who we signed, we came up with a lad called Rana Naved, who nobody had ever heard of, who came in and bowled 90-odd miles an hour and got bundles of wickets."

Tanvir's CV suggests that he has the potential to be a Naved-style signing, but doubts over his fitness will bring back awful memories of last season's experiment with Shoaib Akhtar.

Akhtar appeared in two four-day games for Surrey at the back end of 2008, but was restricted to bowling just 33 overs - which, according to one newspaper, worked out at £100 per ball.

Tanvir's agent, Salman Ahmed has been quoted as saying: "The Brit Oval is known to be a paradise for seam and fast bowlers. Sohail has been struggling with his form in recent days, and we feel this is a wonderful platform for him to focus on his shortcomings and return to form by playing regular cricket."

The player himself, who recently took three wickets for the Rajasthan Royals in a charity Twenty20 match against Middlesex at Lord's, added: "I am not a part of the Pakistan team at the moment therefore this stint with Surrey would provide me with good practice.

"I got a big confidence booster at Lord's and am looking forward to return to national duty soon. I was troubled by a leg injury in the past few months, but I've recovered from it and hope to regain my form."