Haaland was upset by the move and brought in the Professional Footballers’ Association to act on his behalf in a bid to get the decision overturned.

But Keegan believes the club have only acted in their best interests and challenged Haaland to prove them wrong.

“If Alfie can prove his fitness there will be no problem with this club,” said the City chief.

“Whenever he has got started on his rehabilitation, very early on long before he was due to come and join us on the training ground, he has had a problem.

“Now we are looking at giving him four months of physio and then seeing if he can come out and train.

“We aren’t saying we don’t want him, we want him to come back. We are all behind him and will give him our full support.

“But he has to prove his fitness and so far that hasn’t happened.”

Haaland has yet to decide whether to launch a legal fight against Manchester United skipper Roy Keane over the tackle which he believes exacerbated his long-standing knee problem.

The Norwegian has not played a full game since the incident, in April 2001, but has been told by his club they have decided not to pursue the matter further.

Just like Costa Rican striker Paulo Wanchope, Haaland does not figure in Keegan’s short-term plans.

But while that duo can cite injury as the major factor behind their exclusion, defensive pair Steve Howey and Richard Dunne have no such solace.

Both were excluded from Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Blackburn and are now facing a fight for their City future as Keegan finally admitted defeat in the battle for a top-six spot.

Clearly unhappy at continued defensive frailties, the City boss has decided to give long-serving Gerard Wiekens a chance to impress alongside Sylvain Distin and new arrival David Sommeil in Keegan’s preferred three-man defensive formation.

The outcome of Wednesday’s board meeting is likely to determine the club’s short-term policy in the transfer market but either way, Keegan is already shaping for the future.

Darren Huckerby and Chris Shuker have already left on loan, the latter man joining Walsall having been told there is little prospect of first-team football at Maine Road in the future, and more departures could follow before the club decamp to their new home at the City of Manchester Stadium in the summer.

“I have been very loyal to Steve Howey,” Keegan told BBC GMR. “He has played nearly every game since I have been here.

“I am going to look at other options in his position now, in Richard Dunne’s position and maybe one or two others as well.

“I wouldn’t be doing my job properly if I didn’t do that.”