Big Sam can't wait to unleash Viduka and Owen on the Premiership

Viduka put pen to paper on a two-year deal with the option of a third after passing a medical in London today.

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Allardyce said: "We are getting a player with vast experience in Premiership football and a natural goalscorer.

"He has the size and stature to lead our front line and is direct competition for Shola Ameobi, who is fit again now.

"It is common knowledge that every manager in the game wants two players for every position, and that is what we will have at Newcastle United next season as far as our strikers are concerned.

"It is a great start for us as we already have Oba Martins and Michael Owen who can play off a big man. It is all looking very exciting."

Viduka will head off on international duty before returning to Tyneside for pre-season training, where he will be joined by Joey Barton, who agreed terms earlier this week.

Allardyce is confident of getting the best out of the 24-year-old, whose temperament he believes he can harness to get the best out of an undoubted talent.

The former Bolton boss has challenged the England international to put his reputation behind him and concentrate on the task of proving himself as a player all over again - and that includes adding to Newcastle's firepower.

Allardyce said: "Now we have Michael Owen, Mark Viduka and Oba Martins, who all score goals, and Joey usually chips in with seven or eight a season from midfield, so we will really be expecting to improve our goals tally next season."

The Magpies have wasted little time in pushing through their summer recruitment plans, and Allardyce has confirmed he is also pursuing out-of-contract Bolton defender Tal Ben Haim.

Paris St Germain's David Rozehnal and Wanderers striker Nicolas Anelka are among a lengthy list of players to have been linked with the club, although the manager is giving little away.

However, his proactive stance during his first week back at his desk after a short break has gone down well with the club's fans.

Mark Jensen, editor of fanzine The Mag, said: "Recent seasons have been impaired because when we have signed a player, it has been not long before the start of the season or not long after the start, as with Albert Luque, Michael Owen and Nolberto Solano.

"But as it stands, we are bringing in two genuine first-team players in Barton and Viduka who have not cost a penny because of the Scott Parker deal.

"I know Barton comes with a lot of baggage, but for me, he has got a lot more to his game than Parker.

"All credit goes to Sam Allardyce for getting these deals done as quickly as he has."