The 27-year-old has been spotted at the Moscow training base of mega rich club Anzhi Makhachkala and was said to be going through a medical ahead of a ?13.2million move.
Zhirkov has been plagued by persistent injuries in both knees since joining Chelsea from CSKA Moscow for ?18m in 2009.
Exit: Yury Zhirkov looks set leave Chelsea after struggling at Stamford Bridge
The Russia international struggled to find a regular spot when he was fit during Carlo Ancelotti's reign and rarely featured in his favourite position on the left wing.
Andre Villas-Boas often used Zhirkov in midfield on the pre-season tour of the Far East.
But Zhirkov would struggle to gain a foothold if Chelsea win the race to sign Luka Modric from Tottenham, while Villas-Boas has also indicated he wants to give 18-year-old Josh McEachran more opportunities.
Star names: Roberto Carlos was tempted by ambitious Anzhi Makhachkala
At the end of last season, Zhirkov admitted: 'Unfortunately at Chelsea I haven't had enough match practice in the last season,' he said. 'I want to play football and not sit on the bench.
'I can't say anything more on the subject. We'll see how everything goes. There's not point ruling out a return to Russia.'
Rubin Kazan, Dynamo Moscow and Zenit St Petersburg have also shown interest in Zhirkov, but sources in Russia claim a deal with Anzhi is all but agreed.
The club from Dagestan were bought by billionaire Suleyman Kerimov earlier this year and have been looking for high-profile signings to join Roberto Carlos.
Big ideas: Anzhi were also keen to bring Brazilian starlet Neymar to Russia
Carlos, who left Corinthians for a lucrative move to Anzhi in February, has tried to help the club recruit Neymar and Paulo Henrique Ganso from Santos.
Earlier in the summer, the club's coach Gadzhi Gadzhiev expressed an interest in signing Roman Pavlyuchenko, but the Tottenham striker is keen to stay in London and dismissed talk of a move.
After also being linked with Palermo's Javier Pastore and Inter Milan striker Samuel Eto'o, Anzhi general director German Chistyakov has grown tired of responding to media reports and would not confirm an interest in Zhirkov.
'We do not comment on rumours until the official announcement,' he said. 'We made this decision two weeks ago. Once something is concrete we will share this information.'
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Source: Daily Mail
Source: Daily Mail