UNSETTLED Newcastle defender Alain Goma is set to join Fulham in a shock £4m beat-the-deadline move.

Goma will become the second unhappy Frenchman to quit the Toon this year following Didier Domi's £3m switch to Paris St Germain in January.

Boss Bobby Robson hinted last week that he wouldn't be offloading any players before next week's deadline.

But Newcastle had second thoughts after Premiership-bound Fulham agreed the asking price and cleared the way for Goma to travel for talks.

Goma is seen as a replacement for Chris Coleman, who won't play for the first division leaders for at least a year after smashing his leg in a car crash.

Chelsea and former club PSG were interested in buying the central defender after he made it clear that he wanted to swap St James Park for a big city outfit.

But Fulham boss Jean Tigana has jumped in ahead of both of them after receiving positive reports on Goma's form from his Geordie midfielder Lee Clark.

Goma joined from Paris St Germain in a £4.7m move less than two seasons ago but only made 14 Premiership appearances last season because of injury.

Only recently Robson praised the Frenchman's commitment after putting in a transfer request.

But he was disappointed when 28-year-old Goma pulled out on the morning of the Magpie's last game at Everton 11 days ago.

Goma said he had a hamstring injury but the injury following a training ground bust-up between the Frenchman and Robson a fortnight ago.

Goma and his manager allegedly had angry words after a five-a-side practice match.

The Newcastle boss will have £7m in the kitty if he decides to finance a swoop of his own in a bid for Europe, but Robson has faith in young centrebacks Steve Caldwell and Aaron Hughes and still has £6m Spaniard Marcelino on the books.

l Carl Cort has thanked Alan Shearer for helping him through his injury nightmare.

The £7m striker turned to Shearer when he feared his season was over because of persistent hamstring trouble.

"At one point I questioned whether I would be back this season," admitted 23-year-old Cort, who is ready to return in Saturday's big derby with Middlesbrough after a six-month layoff.

"I've been like a supporter, forced to watch the team struggling with injuries. At times I have felt really low. There was a lot of uncertainty and I wondered what was going on.

"But Alan has been a great help. He has had bad injuries himself and he knows what it's like."

Cort made only three Premiership appearances before his injury jinx struck last September. And the Wimbledon signing has been racked by guilt ever since in his bid to justify his big fee.

"There is a sense of guilt that I have not played much," he confessed.

"The injuries were not my fault, but I desperately wanted to show what I could do and prove it had been money well spent.

Boss Bobby Robson must decide whether Cort is ready to start such a high-octane derby clash, but his return is a welcome boost while Shearer waits for the result of a scan on his damaged knee