ENGLAND Under-21 defender Titus Bramble is poised to become the seventh centre-back on Newcastle United's books as Bobby Robson fashions a side for the future.

Bramble, 21 next month, travelled to Tyneside yesterday to discuss personal terms and undergo a medical with a view to completing a £5m deal after the Magpies finally agreed a fee with Ipswich.

An initial £4.2m bid was this week turned down, but United chairman Freddy Shepherd returned with an improved offer understood to be linked to appearances and any international honours.

Portman Road boss George Burley, who has been told he must sell five players following relegation from the Premiership, was resigned to losing Bramble.

And the former Sunderland right-back is convinced United will be forced to meet every increment in the deal as Bramble's career takes off.

He said: "It will be sad to lose Titus. He is a player I have watched from Under-15 level and all the way to the first team at this club.

"He has a tremendous natural ability and the potential to become a full England international.''

United yesterday also secured Scottish international Gary Caldwell on a new two-year contract.

And if the Bramble deal is sealed, manager Robson will be well stocked for stoppers with Andy O'Brien, Nikos Dabizas, Aaron Hughes, Gary's brother Steve Caldwell, and Spanish misfit Marcelino.

Excluding Marcelino and goalkeeper John Karelse, both of whom United are still desperate to offload, skipper Alan Shearer, 31, and Gary Speed, 32, are the only two thirtysomethings in Robson's squad.

With his path to the first team currently blocked, Gary Caldwell is set to spend next season on loan at First Division Coventry to gain more experience.

The 20-year-old has four Scotland caps, but is still waiting to make his senior bow for United.

He had a month on loan with Darlington last season, making four appearances, and then moved on to Hibernian for a three-month stint.

"I played very well at Hibs and broke into the Scotland side,'' said Caldwell. "I decided that first-team football was what I needed at this stage of my career.

"It looked like Newcastle couldn't give me that and I was considering my future.

"But this deal gives me the best of both worlds and I'll come back to St. James' Park a better player.''

Robson has shown his commitment to building a squad founded on youth, having followed up the £5m signing of Jermaine Jenas from Nottingham Forest in February with the £8.5m capture of Portuguese prodigy Hugo Viana - another 19-year-old - from Sporting Libson last week.

The United boss also this week handed a new three-year deal to 23-year-old midfielder Jamie McClen.

Meanwhile, Kevin Keegan's Manchester City insist they have no case to answer after Newcastle reported them for an alleged illegal approach to Sylvain Distin.

The Frenchman snubbed the chance to join United after an eight-month loan last season and instead signed for newly-promoted City in a £4m deal.

United maintain that City tapped the former Paris St. Germain defender before the Magpies' option to buy him had expired.

But City chairman David Bernstein said: "If there is an issue, it's without foundation.''

An FA spokesman confirmed: "There was a complaint from Newcastle which went to the Football League because, at the time, Manchester City were in a different League.

"It now becomes an FA matter. We have a complaint from Newcastle and have written to City for their observations.''

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