NEWCASTLE are hopeful of completing a £10.5m double deal for both Scott Parker and Emre Belozoglu in the next 48 hours.

Magpies officials will hold talks with the two midfielders later today but, while the Parker deal is understood to be past the post, Emre's wage demands are likely to prove a stumbling block.

Chelsea finally accepted Newcastle's £6.5m offer for Parker last night, enabling the England international to travel to Tyneside this morning.

The Premiership champions had been stalling over his future after Tottenham raised the prospect of taking him to White Hart Lane as part of a compensation package for Chelsea's alleged 'tapping up' of Frank Arnesen.

Spurs have now accepted they cannot meet Parker's current £55,000-a-week pay packet, leaving the door open for Newcastle to complete a deal.

The 24-year-old is understood to be keen on a move to the North-East in an attempt to kick-start a career that has been in limbo since he left Charlton.

Parker has made just 19 starts in his 16 months at Stamford Bridge, with a broken ankle exacerbating Jose Mourinho's reluctance to name him in his first XI.

Everton boss David Moyes was the first person to declare an interest this summer but wages scuppered any chance of a move to Goodison Park.

Parker is ready to put pen to paper at St James' Park, with a medical likely to take place within the next two days after personal terms have been discussed.

The Magpies are also ready to talk terms with Inter Milan midfielder Emre, after tabling a bid of £4m yesterday.

A United delegation is due to fly to Monaco later today to discuss personal terms with the player and his agent, Ahmed Bulut.

The Turkish international is reportedly on £60,000-a-week at the San Siro, but Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd is understood to be reluctant to match that figure.

Everton are also interested in Emre but, with David Moyes having been told he cannot break his club's current wage ceiling of £40,000-a-week, Shepherd has the advantage to manoeuvre.

The 24-year-old playmaker has been offered to a number of English clubs this summer following Inter's decision to end his four-year stay in Milan. Emre joined Inter in 2001, in a £5m deal that also saw Hakan Sukur and Okan Buruk leave Galatasaray.

Emre's arrival would hasten the departure of unsettled midfielder Lee Bowyer, with Birmingham boss Steve Bruce still hopeful of luring the one-time England international to St Andrew's.

Souness had hoped to keep Bowyer at St James' Park despite his much-publicised misdemeanors, but the pursuit of both Parker and Emre suggests he has reluctantly agreed to let him go.

Portsmouth finally completed the £2m signature of Andy O'Brien.

The Republic of Ireland international signed a four-year deal at Fratton Park.

"We have signed a first-class player who has played at the top for both club and country and has a very prominent record," said Pompey chief executive Peter Storrie.

"We are very happy to introduce Andy as the first signing under Alain Perrin's regime and Alain is happy to have made the first of his signings."

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