Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler has agreed personal terms with Leeds United and is expected to complete his £11m move to the Elland Road club once he has successfully completed a stringent medical. The England international will be tied to Leeds until 2006 and should put pen to paper tomorrow afternoon. It is believed under the terms of the contract, Fowler will receive a weekly wage packet similar to that he earned at Liverpool, believed to be in the region of £35,000, which will make him the highest paid player at Leeds.
However, as far as Leeds are concerned, the deal will not go through unless Fowler can prove his fitness. The England striker sustained a cruciate ligament injury in February 1998, which ruled him out for the rest of that season and caused him to miss out on the World Cup in France. Many people believe Fowler has not been the same player since and he has also suffered from a series of ankle injuries that have blighted his first-team chances at Liverpool. If Fowler does pass the medical, a press conference will be held on Friday to unveil David O'Leary's latest signing.
O'Leary has been a long-time admirer of the 26-year-old star but has consistently refused to meet Liverpool's asking price of £15m. However, with Fowler's contract up in 18 months, it seems the Merseyside club are finally willing to cash in on a player who has scored a record-breaking 171 goals in 330 games, rather than losing him for nothing in the summer of 2003.
Fowler's arrival at Leeds could mean that one of the club's current strike force may find himself on they way out. Along with Fowler, Mark Viduka, Robbie Keane, Alan Smith and Michael Bridges are all on Leeds' books and one of them could be sacrificed to help finance Fowler's transfer. However, as Bridges is out until next season following a recent knee operation, any move will probably be put on hold until the summer.
Filed by Amanda Fennelly
