I'll be ready to face Boro, says Kluivert

Robson gave the Dutch international his debut in Sunday's Newcastle Gateshead Cup final defeat to Sporting Lisbon, despite insisting that the striker was still "well short" of match fitness.

Kluivert is expected to feature tomorrow night as Newcastle play their final pre-season game at Celtic and will then step up his training schedule.

Robson's side travel to the Riverside on August 14 and the United boss has already conceded that he could be without the injured Jonathan Woodgate, Laurent Robert and Darren Ambrose.

But Kluivert is confident he will be available to line up against compatriot Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.

"I'm confident I will be 100 per cent fit by the time we play Middlesbrough," said Kluivert, who looked like making a scoring start to his Newcastle career before Sporting defender Anderson Polga cleared his goal-bound header off the line.

"I'm stepping up my training this week and I'm hoping to play a bigger part against Celtic.

"I only had a week's training behind me before the Newcastle Gateshead Cup and I wasn't 100 per cent. But I think the Celtic match will improve my fitness.

"I was running for most of my first week but I'll be involved in full training with the other players from now on. The most important thing for me now is to play and train with my new team-mates."

Kluivert partnered Shola Ameobi for the final half-hour of Sunday's game. But, with Alan Shearer and Craig Bellamy also desperate to feature at the Riverside, Robson has some tough decisions to make.

His skipper has already stated that he wants to play every game, while Bellamy will feel justifiably disappointed if he is left out of the starting XI after being Newcastle's most impressive frontman during their pre-season programme.

Kluivert knows he faces a battle to win and hold on to his place, but the 28-year-old is looking forward to striking up a rapport with his new team-mates.

"I knew I would be working with high-class strikers at Newcastle," he said. "And I've already been impressed with what I've seen.

"I hope they've been equally impressed with me. The longer we train together, the better we will be in terms of recognising one another's strengths. The most important thing is that all of the strikers have a good understanding."

Kluivert is the latest Dutch striker to ply his trade in the English game, with the likes of Hasselbaink, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Pierre van Hooijdonk all having proved themselves in the Premiership.

The former Barcelona and AC Milan star remains Holland's record scorer on the international stage, and does not feel he will have to alter his game to adapt to English conditions.

"There are similarities with the Dutch game," said Kluivert. "What I like is the regular supply of crosses from the flanks.

"The service wasn't great against Sporting but at least the wingers were always looking to put crosses in. I'm sure we'll come good for Middlesbrough."

Meanwhile, full-back Olivier Bernard has repeated his threat to walk out of Newcastle in January unless the club make progress on his contract talks.

The Frenchman has claimed he is still waiting for a contract offer, despite Newcastle officials insisting that a three-year deal has been on the table since June.

Bernard was on the brink of quitting Newcastle for West Ham two years ago, and has warned United officials that he will go one step further if his concerns are not addressed.

"There has been no progress on my contract," he said. "This has been dragging on for a year now.

"By next June at the very latest I've got to find another club. If I can sign for another club in January then I probably will.

"If it comes down to me staying at Newcastle then I'll be very happy, but if I have to leave then so be it. I've done it once and I'll do it again."

* French club Marseille have dismissed reports suggesting they were poised to sign Newcastle winger Laurent Robert on a one-year loan deal.

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