NEWCASTLE will move a giant step nearer their first signing of the summer when James Milner arrives on Tyneside for a medical this afternoon.

The 18-year-old is ready to move to St James' Park after the Magpies finally agreed a fee with his current club, Leeds United, yesterday.

Newcastle will pay the Yorkshire club £3.6m for the versatile winger, with the fee rising to £5m once Milner has made a stipulated number of appearances.

The teenager played on both flanks and at centre-forward as Leeds crashed out of the Premiership last season, and his ability to fill a number of roles is understood to have persuaded Sir Bobby Robson to make him his first cash signing since Darren Ambrose moved from Ipswich last March.

Milner first came to national attention in 2002 when he scored against Sunderland to become the youngest goalscorer in Premiership history, a record he still holds today.

He spent the first month of last season on loan at Second Division side Swindon Town but quickly found himself recalled to the first team upon returning to Leeds.

A series of assured displays made him one of the club's few saleable assets on their relegation to the Coca Cola League and Leeds had agreed to sell Milner to Tottenham last month.

The midfielder turned that move down as he did not wish to move from his West Yorkshire home, but Leeds' financial problems meant they were unable to rebuff further advances for the England Under-21 international.

Newcastle are a far more attractive proposition for Milner - he can commute to the North-East from his home - and personal terms are expected to be agreed tomorrow provided today's medical throws up no unexpected problems.

Sources close to the youngster suggest he is keen to stay in the Premiership and the lure of European football has persuaded him to leave the club he has supported since childhood.

Milner will become the fourth former Leeds player in the Newcastle ranks, alongside Gary Speed, Jonathan Woodgate and Lee Bowyer.

Meanwhile, Newcastle are running out of time in their attempts to sign a new right-back.

The Magpies have already missed out on Greek international Georgios Seitaridis, while Miguel's inspired displays for Portugal at Euro 2004 have seen his price rocket.

Dutch international Mario Melchiot has hinted that he would prefer to move abroad, while any interest in Leeds' Danny Mills has been put on the back burner until the former England international cuts his wage demands.

Robson is rapidly running out of viable targets, although Tunisian international Hatem Trabelsi remains on his wanted list if Ajax are willing to drop their £4m asking price.

Danish international Thomas Helveg is another right-back on the move after Italian giants Inter Milan confirmed they would not be offering him a new contract at the San Siro.

"I have only got three more days left on my Inter contract," said Helveg.

"Italy is my first priority, but that is perhaps only wishful thinking on my part. To end my career elsewhere could be a new challenge."

The 33-year-old would add some valuable experience to the United backline, but his signature would represent a marked move away from Robson's avowed policy of signing young emerging talent.

* Former Newcastle midfielder Brian Kerr has signed a one-year deal with Scottish Premier League side Motherwell after being released at the end of last season.

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