Fowler set to for Toon test

Robbie Fowler is expected to complete his £7.5m (€11.38m) move to Manchester City today – and go straight into the side for Saturday’s visit of Newcastle.

Fowler underwent stringent medical tests yesterday after agreeing personal terms worth a reported £35,000 (€53,00) per week.

City’s £7.5m (€11.38m) fee almost wipes out boss Kevin Keegan’s transfer budget and leaves him short of options for shoring up his defence.

But he believes Fowler’s buy will prove worthwhile and possibly even the extra link which can stretch City into the Premiership’s top six.

Keegan will be hoping Fowler can have an impact as immediate on Saturday as his Liverpool debut in September 1993, when he scored all five goals in a League Cup annihilation of Fulham.

The 27-year-old only returned to the Leeds first team last month after a lengthy lay-off with a hip injury and with his Elland Road career having also been blighted by ankle and cruciate problems, the medical was no formality.

But Fowler’s recent fitness – ironically he made a substitute appearance for Leeds at Maine Road on Saturday – left City officials confident that there would be no late hitches.

Keegan is anxious to find a regular partner for Nicolas Anelka up front after experimenting at various stages with Darren Huckerby, Shaun Goater, Shaun Wright-Phillips and youngster Chris Shuker this season.

But with Fowler’s injury problems having restricted his Leeds career to just 32 appearances and 14 goals since his move from Liverpool in November 2001, Keegan’s purchase could be seen as a gamble.