Sir Bobby Robson has paid old club Ipswich Town £4.5million after finally completing his swoop for England Under-21 defender Titus Bramble.

The 20-year-old put pen to paper on a five-year deal on Friday morning after spending the last two weeks on Tyneside attempting to prove his fitness after undergoing surgery on a heel problem at the end of last season.

It is thought that Bramble's switch could eventually earn the Suffolk club up to £6million.

The move represents the second time this summer that Robson has returned to a former club to snap up a promising young talent after his £8.5million swoop for Sporting Lisbon's Portuguese international midfielder Hugo Viana.

"Whilst I am sad to be leaving Ipswich Town, I am thrilled to be joining such a massive club as Newcastle United," said Bramble.

"There are some terrific players here, a tremendous manager and I cannot wait for the new season to start."

Robson was equally delighted to have captured a player he has been monitoring for some time.

"I am delighted that Titus will be part of our squad next season," he said.

"He is a powerfully-built lad who has the potential to achieve great things in the game."

Newcastle and Ipswich agreed the fee back in June and it took Bramble and his representatives just a few days to negotiate personal terms.

But the Magpies erred on the side of caution because of the player's injury, waiting until they were satisfied that the problem had been resolved once and for all before they were prepared to seal the deal.

Bramble's arrival is the latest evidence of Robson's intention to build a team in which proven experience is surrounded by young talent, with Bramble and Viana sure to play key roles in the squad which already includes the likes of Kieron Dyer, Craig Bellamy, Aaron Hughes, Andy O'Brien and Jermaine Jenas.

The 69-year-old manager will hope that the 6ft 2in defender will increase competition for places in a back four which made huge strides last season but remains suspect at times.

Nikos Dabizas and O'Brien were the men in possession for much of the last campaign, although Sylvain Distin, now a Manchester City player, put both under pressure before making the left-back spot his own.

The versatile Hughes spent much of the season at right-back, but can play anywhere across the back line, while former England Under-21 international Andy Griffin will hope for an injury-free run to aid his attempt to re-establish himself, and Robbie Elliott is determined to win back his place.

Bramble joined Ipswich as a trainee and made his League debut as a 17-year-old at Sheffield United on December 20, 1998.

He made 62 appearances for his home town club, contributing to their remarkable first campaign back in the Premiership in which they finished fifth and secured a UEFA Cup place.

But he was disappointed to slip in the pecking order last season as injuries struck in what proved to be a disastrous year for George Burley's side, and now faces the task of proving himself all over again.

Robson is confident the player's natural ability and his coaching skills can make him a force to be reckoned with, and that work will get under way in earnest when Bramble enters full training with his new team-mates within days.