Cut-price Fowler on his way to City
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Your support makes all the difference.Robbie Fowler appears to be on his way to Manchester City at last after Leeds United yesterday accepted a lower offer for the striker, believed to be £5.5m. The deal is expected to put an end to Newcastle United's move for Jonathan Woodgate, the Leeds defender.
Terry Venables, the Leeds manager, speaking after last night's defeat at Chelsea, said: "A fee has been agreed between the clubs. A final decision will be made tomorrow."
Venables added: "There have been times when maybe the communication with the board has not been as good as it should have been but in the last few days I've been fully up to date with the Robbie Fowler situation. I understand the situation. I don't want Robbie to go but I realise someone had to go. I'm resigned to losing him and I'm told if that deal goes through no more players will go."
Leeds have reluctantly accepted a pay-as-you-play package from City which will work out at around £5.5m in instalments. The hard-up Yorkshire club will receive much of the money, around £3m, up front, which will lessen the need to sell more players before the transfer window shuts on Friday.
A deal to take Fowler to Elland Road was originally negotiated a fortnight ago, but it broke down after City attempted to re-negotiate the terms. However, after the collapse of Seth Johnson's move to Middlesbrough because of medical problems, Leeds were forced back to the negotiating table.
Venables will now try to persuade the Leeds board to bring in new players. Francis Jeffers, the Arsenal striker, and the Brazilian Kleberson are possible targets.
Newcastle may look elsewhere if they do not receive any encouragement over Woodgate within the next 24 hours. Newcastle's chief scout, Charlie Woods, was in France at the weekend to watch Marseilles' Belgian, Daniel van Buyten.
Bolton's manager, Sam Allardyce, has cut Michael Ricketts' asking price to £5m, but that has still proved too high for Middlesbrough, who are prepared to pay only £3m. Boro are also negotiating a double loan deal for Derby County's Malcolm Christie and Chris Riggott.
Allardyce is holding out for the money as he wants some left to sign three new faces – the Valencia striker Salva Ballesta, the Nantes target man Pierre Yves André and the Lyon centre-half Florent Laville.
Sergei Rebrov has passed a medical and is expected to complete a move to Fenerbahce from Tottenham within the next 24 hours. The clubs have agreed an 18-month loan deal with an option for the Turkish side to sign him on a permanent basis.
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