NEWCASTLE United yesterday moved to ease fears that defender Jonathan Woodgate will miss the start of next season.

Magpies boss Sir Bobby Robson revealed at ITV's Euro 2004 launch on Tuesday that the ruptured thigh muscle which wrecked the 24-year-old centre back's hopes of making the trip to Portugal with England, will take three months to heal.

But with Woodgate already more than three weeks into his recovery, United are hopeful he will resume training at the end of July and be ready for the start of the new season.

A club spokesman said: "Jonathan has a three-month injury. He suffered the injury against Chelsea on April 25 and has been undergoing treatment since.

"He is expected to be out for three months from the day of the injury, not three months from now, and we're hopeful that he will return to training by the end of July and be available for the start of next season.''

Robson, meanwhile, is keeping tabs on Marseille centre-back Abdoulaye Meite - but won't rush into any deal.

Meite, 23, impressed against the Magpies in the UEFA Cup semi-final and has been offered to Newcastle.

Chief scout Charlie Woods was expected to make a further check on Meite in Marseille's UEFA Cup final with Valencia in Gothenburg last night.

Woods is then understood to be destined for Norway to compile a report on the progress of Tromso winger Morten Gamst Pedersen.

Newcastle and Aston Villa are tracking 22-year-old Pedersen, who had a trial with Middlesbrough and attracted interest from Blackburn.

Tromso boss Per Mathias Hogmo said: "We have had it confirmed that agents from Villa and Newcastle will be at the Molde game.''

* Newcastle's season may have ended in disappointment with their failure to qualify for the Champions League, but they still raked in over £25m from the campaign.

They collected £10.175m from the Premiership's TV deals, and a further £6.725m from live games.

Newcastle's fifth-place Premiership finish was worth £8.72m, making a total of £25.62m.

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