Not a word of English and crocked until October...the perfect Newcastle signing

Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce flew back from talks in Spain last night and has not been put off by £80,000-a-week wage demands or the recurrence of Edmilson's long-standing injury.

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Toon target: Edmilson is currently sidelined with a long-term injury

Allardyce was with chairman Freddy Shepherd's son Kenneth and agent Paul Montgomery in Barcelona to open talks with a player who has won two Spanish titles and the European Cup since joining from Lyon three years ago, having already played in Brazil's 2002 World Cup Final victory.

Edmilson, who would cost a nominal fee, turns 30 next month and faced England at Wembley earlier this month. Allardyce knows he faces serious competition, with AC Milan and Juventus showing interest.

The former Bolton boss also discussed the possibility of being reunited with Iceland striker Eidur Gudjohnsen, although a move is unlikely unless Michael Owen or Obafemi Martins leave before the transfer window closes at the end of August.

Allardyce's priorities are left backs and central defenders, as well as a holding midfielder, and he has been forced to consider bringing in a left-sided midfielder after learning that Ireland winger Damien Duff is ruled out until November with his foot injury.

A bid for Edmilson could be complicated by his reputation for trouble, with Allardyce admitting that he has already fought long and hard with the board to convince them to sign Joey Barton from Manchester City.

Allardyce insisted the midfielder's chequered past does not concern him, adding: "I always live dangerously. I like to live on the edge. Why do you think I am here at Newcastle?"

The manager is convinced he can turn Barton into an England regular, adding: 'There is nothing wrong with Joey's football. It is the off-the-field scenario that we have to work on and get better.

"Joey is a terrific player and a tremendous asset for Newcastle. He is a big, big character and somebody who likes to say what he thinks, which is getting slightly rare in today's football. The difference is he goes out and proves what he says he can do.

'He does a lot of talking on the field exceptionally well and his midfield play and goalscoring are paramount to our future success.

"His character had to be a consideration, of course. I had to convince the board that Joey and I would be able to deal with that side of him and not let it come out again."

Newcastle return to pre-season training on Monday, and last night it emerged that they could be joined at a training camp in Austria a day later by England coach Steve Round. He would team up with England Under- 21 assistant boss Nigel Pearson, Lee Clark and Terry McDermott in the coaching set-up.

Meanwhile, Mike Ashley is due to complete his buy- out of Newcastle this week and take the club into private ownership. His takeover vehicle St James' Holding Limited now owns 93.19 per cent of the club, leaving the billionaire on the brink of a compulsory purchase of the remaining shares.