NEWCASTLE UNITED'S Jonathan Woodgate will learn if his Euro 2004 dream has been shattered today after paying a visit to a London-based specialist.

The 24-year-old has already been ruled out of his club's campaign and his chances of travelling with England to Portugal look desperate after tearing a calf muscle in last Sunday's win over Chelsea.

National coach Sven-Goran Eriksson has suggested he is prepared to give Woodgate plenty of time to prove his fitness ahead of the Championships.

Eriksson's hand has been forced somewhat as he awaits some much-needed good news after witnessing a number of his best central defenders become unavailable - most notably the suspension of Rio Ferdinand.

Woodgate has travelled to the capital where he is likely to find out the true extent of his injury and whether he can forget about playing for his country this summer.

Newcastle boss Sir Bobby Robson, who took a risk when he was in charge of England in 1986 when he selected captain Bryan Robson, does not believe Woodgate should travel if there is any doubt surrounding his fitness.

"If the muscle is not repaired then you don't take him," said Robson. "It will either be he's fit or he isn't, it's that simple.

"Bryan Robson's injury was his shoulder and we were told that he was worth gambling on. There was a chance it would pop out and it did (against Morocco in only the second game of the 1986 World Cup).

"But before Jon gets on any plane he will have to prove he is fit. He will have to undergo the most stringent of tests. After those then we can say whether he will make it. Any wobble and we would have to withdraw him.

"It takes two months for the injury Jon has to repair itself, let alone get fit. We're sending Jonathan to a top specialist, who's an expert on this type of muscle tear he's got.

"Whether the specialist can provide the data we want to here we will see. Jon is taking his scans down with him so the specialist will see the depth of it and then he will tell us whether it will be two months, ten weeks, three months or whatever."

Two years ago Woodgate's Magpies teammate Kieron Dyer faced a similar fight to claim his place in the England squad ahead of a major championships.

Dyer suffered a serious knee injury in the final game of the 2001-02 Premiership season and very nearly had to miss out on travelling to the World Cup in Japan and South Korea.

But the Newcastle and England camps worked together to ensure the attacking midfielder was included in Eriksson's squad for the Far East.

St. James' Park manager Robson insists he would love to see Woodgate enjoy similar sucess, although he concedes the former Leeds man is in a race against time. "I would like Jonathan to play in the European Championships, but he's got to prove his fitness, like we did with Kieron," said Robson. "Two years ago, we got Kieron fit and we said to Sven, 'Hang on, Sven, don't write him off, we'll do what we can for him'.

"I wanted Kieron to play in the World Cup - it makes you a better player - and we got Kieron in the World Cup. He didn't play very much, but we got him fit, and it will be the same thing with Jonathan.

"The physiotherapists will work hard to get Jonathan fit, but right at this moment in time, I have to tell you, his chances of playing are very slim."

There was some brighter news for Robson yesterday when Newcastle tied down hot prospect Steven Taylor until the summer of 2007.

The 18-year-old centre-back, who played at Bolton earlier this year, has been targeted my Liverpool. But Taylor, who had a loan spell at Wycombe earlier this season, said: "This new contract is marvellous and I'm really thrilled to have signed.

"Making my first team debuts in the UEFA Cup and Premiership last month were magical moments and gives me the drive and ambition to keep working hard at my game. I am delighted my future is with my home town team."