Hargreaves is expected to sign a four-year deal with Man Utd

Bayern have agreed to sell Hargreaves, 26, for about �17m, with United set to finally land their long-term target.

Hargreaves told BBC's Inside Sport: "It's been one of the longest transfer sagas. I'm sure this week we'll hear some new information."

United failed in their bids last summer and in January to sign Hargreaves.

Inside Sport: Owen Hargreaves

Club president Franz Beckenbauer said: "Owen is leaving. It's a good match and it's also a good deal financially."

Hargreaves has been at Bayern for 10 years but after starring for England at the World Cup last year, he admitted he wanted to play in the Premiership.

606: DEBATE Considering the money Chelsea paid for Makelele and the fact Hargreaves is younger - a very good buy for Man Utd leeroy19

Hargreaves, who played only nine league games for Bayern this season because of injury, is expected to sign a four-year deal with the newly-crowned Premiership champions.

His career in Germany ended in disappointment when Bayern finished fourth in the Bundesliga, thereby missing out on Champions League qualification.

Writing in his BBC Sport column, Hargreaves admitted the club "can never afford not to qualify for the Champions League".

His transfer is therefore likely to be the first stage of an overhaul at the club, with chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge promising to carry out "brutal and ruthless" changes to the team.

Rummenigge said he was disappointed to be losing the energetic midfielder.

He told the club's website: "A player like Owen Hargreaves would have looked good in our team next year.

"In the defensive midfield position Owen is one of the best in the world - it's a big sporting loss for us."

Sunday's newspaper reports suggested Bayern could use the funds from Hargreaves' sale to buy Chelsea winger Arjen Robben.