Sam on the samba beat as Newcastle talk to Edmilson

Manager Sam Allardyce flew to Catalonia on Thursday in an attempt to persuade the 30-year-old World Cup winner his future lies on Tyneside.

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That appears to have impressed the former Lyon defender, who is also being courted by Italian giants AC Milan despite the knee injury which is expected to rule him out until October.

Edmilson is understood to have told the Magpies delegation - Allardyce, chairman Freddy Shepherd's son Kenneth and European scout Paul Montgomery - he is ready to head for England.

However, with Barca president Joan Laporta, who had earlier given Newcastle permission to talk to the player, tied up yesterday with his side's move for Eric Abidal, they are having to remain patient.

Shepherd Junior will reopen discussions with the Nou Camp hierarchy on Monday, when he will also look into Eidur Gudjohnsen's situation.

Allardyce, who briefly worked with the 28-year-old Iceland international during his time at Bolton, has identified Gudjohnsen as a potential target should he lose either Michael Owen or Obafemi Martins this summer.

The striker's future has been thrown into doubt by Thierry Henry's arrival, and Newcastle are preparing the ground in case they need to move later in the transfer window.

But in the meantime, it is Edmilson who is occupying their thoughts.

The South American is understood to earn around £80,000 a week at Barcelona, and that would be a consideration with the player certain not to figure for at least the first three months of the season.

However, Barca's club doctor Ramon Cugat did give assurances that Edmilson should make a full recovery from the surgery he underwent on his knee last week.

Meanwhile, the Magpies' recruitment drive is continuing apace both on and off the field.

Czech international defender David Rozehnal finally completed his £2.89million switch from Paris St Germain last night to give Allardyce his third summer capture.

The manager said: "He is a very, very useful player indeed. It is a terrific deal for the club.

"He is a smashing fellow, a guy who speaks perfect English and four other languages.

"He is very, very ambitious indeed and I was very impressed with David not just as a footballer, but also as a person and a character, and that will stand us in good stead over the next few years."

Allardyce is making progress too with his backroom staff after confirming he is in talks with Steve McClaren's England coach Steve Round over a job working alongside Nigel Pearson, the number two he inherited from predecessor Glenn Roeder.

In addition, he is expected to bring in sports science expert Mark Taylor and performance director Mike Forde from Bolton.

Newcastle return for pre-season training on Monday, and the players will jet off to an Austrian boot camp to launch their preparations for the new campaign.