Newcastle United defender Jonathan Woodgate will sign for Real Madrid after passing a medical on Friday, joining the Spanish club on a four-year deal for a reported 20 million euros ($24.74 million).

"Woodgate successfully passed his medical and will sign for Real Madrid for the next four seasons with an option for an extra year," Real said in a statement on Friday.

"The player will sign his contract on Saturday morning at the Bernabeu ... and will be presented at 1230 (1030 GMT)," the Primera Liga club said.

Real Madrid doctor Juan Carlos Hernandez said he had paid special attention to the thigh injury that has kept the 24-year-old England international out of competitive football since April.

"The medical took about 3-1/2 hours because apart from a normal medical the player arrived with a small injury for which he is still being treated and we wanted to look at it carefully," Hernandez told Radio Marca.

"There was no other problem aside from the injury, but it still requires some treatment. We estimate that he will need another three to four weeks before he can start training with the rest of the squad.

"The injury is to the thigh muscle in his left leg and these type of injuries can sometimes be a little complicated because of the nature of the muscle so we will have to give it a little time to heal completely."

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Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd said the English Premier League club had not wanted to lose the player, who they bought for nine million pounds ($16.43 million) from Leeds United in January 2003.

"But you have to look at it from both sides. Real Madrid are the biggest club in the world -- that is a fact. Which player would not want to sign for Real Madrid if they come and show an interest in them?

"Jonathan has said that Real Madrid would have been the only club he'd have left Newcastle United for, he certainly wouldn't have joined another Premiership club."

Woodgate will become the third Englishman to join Real in little over a year, following fellow internationals David Beckham and Michael Owen to the Bernabeu.

Real have been looking to bolster their much-maligned defence following a miserable performance last season.

They have recruited Argentine centre-back Walter Samuel from AS Roma for 25 million euros but a proposed deal to sign Arsenal defensive midfielder Patrick Vieira broke down and the Frenchman pledged his future to the English champions instead.