Shakhtar Donetsk coach Mircea Lucescu has confirmed Ciprian Marica will move to Stuttgart.

Marica is expected to sign a four-year contract with Stuttgart and Lucescu admitted the move will be good for the player.

“I insisted on his transfer because it’s the right time,” Lucescu told Romanian newspaper Prosport.

“It will be good for him, because he can improve, he is going to play in the Champions League and he can get some experience that will be useful for him in the national team.

“The player wanted to go to the Bundesliga.”

Meanwhile, Mario Gomez has signed a new contract to extend his association with Stuttgart by a further 12 months.