Belmadi heads list for bargain hunter Keegan

The Manchester City manager, Kevin Keegan, is to make the Algerian international midfielder Djamel Belmadi his first signing during the transfer window.

The Marseille play-maker – a close friend of Nicolas Anelka – is heading to Manchester today to complete the deal after impressing Keegan in training last month. Belmadi, at Marseille for five seasons, will cost around £1.5m and can play in several roles in midfield, where City are in need of reinforcement.

Keegan hopes to close the deal quickly and then switch his sights to two more signings before the window closes at the end of the month. City have been linked with Leeds' Robbie Fowler, but Keegan is unlikely to push ahead with the deal as he has cheaper alternatives in Europe.

Keegan is still keen on the German World Cup striker Miroslav Klose, but the Kaiserslautern forward is also more expensive than he would like to pay, or can afford. Keegan also wants to strengthen defence and has to do all three signings within a budget that is pitched at around £7m.

Martin O'Neill has ruled out Colin Healy leaving Celtic on loan this month and has promised him the chance to play in big games before May. The 22-year-old's contract expires at the end of the season but, with his first-team chances limited, he has refused to sign an extension.

The Celtic manager has told the Republic of Ireland midfielder he will get his chance if nobody comes in to buy him during the transfer window. "I wouldn't be prepared to let any of my top players go out on loan at the moment," O'Neill said.

"He wants to play first-team football and I totally understand that. If nothing develops with Colin in terms of someone buying him in January then I certainly won't loan him out."

Newcastle will reject any bid from First Division Wolves for their striker Carl Cort. The sides meet in the third round of the FA Cup on Saturday and the Molineux manager, Dave Jones, is keen to bring in firepower to boost his side's promotion hopes.

"David Jones wants Carl Cort, but he's not getting him," said the Newcastle manager, Bobby Robson. "I might let one or two of our younger players go now the transfer window has opened, but I am hanging on to most of our players."

When the transfer window opened in Scotland most of the deals – bar Dundee's Steven Thompson and Rangers' Billy Dodds swapping clubs – concerned players dropping down the divisions on loan.

The only other signing yesterday was Dunfermline agreeing a six-figure fee for Shamrock Rovers' 19-year-old striker Noel Hunt. The move has yet to be completed as the player will stay in Ireland until the SPL season begins again at the end of the month.