Newcastle officials are in Milan as they hope to complete the £10m transfer of Inter striker Obafemi Martins.
Magpies boss Glenn Roeder is looking to wrap up the swoop despite reports suggesting that Portsmouth may hijack the move.
Inter and the Premiership club agreed a fee for the Nigerian striker on Tuesday, leaving it to the player and his agent to finalise terms on offer.
"I think we are virtually there with an agreement with the player, the club and the agents,” Roeder told the club’s website.
"There is lot of paperwork to be done today, but Kenneth Shepherd and Lee Charnley are working hard and we hope we will bring Martins back with us.”
Roeder is not concerned about Pompey’s alleged interest in the player and is confident in a positive outcome of the Milan meetings.
"I never worry about speculation at all, as far as I am concerned as long as the paperwork goes through today, Martins will be our man and any other club will have to look elsewhere."
Roeder was one of Martins’ top sponsors in the Magpies’ search for a forward to replace the injured Michael Owen and the now retired Alan Shearer.
The striker could make his debut at Aston Villa on Sunday and would join former Inter teammate Belozoglu Emre, who is looking forward to playing with him again.
“I played with him for three years in Milan, he is a good player, very quick,” said Emre. “I think he would be a great signing for the club and the supporters.”
Obafemi Martins is on the verge of signing his £10m transfer to Newcastle and is expected in Tyneside on Thursday to undergo his medical tests.
The Nigerian striker said he was glad of the opportunity to move to England, although leaving Inter was not easy.
"It’s going to be fantastic to play in The Premiership, I believe it ideally suits my own game," he told the Daily Mirror.
“It’s painful for me to leave Inter, the club I grew up in, everyone knows that I didn’t want to go but in the end I chose the Premiership,” added the 21-year-old.
Magpies’ boss Glenn Roeder is prepared to allocate the Nigerian Alan Shearer’s number nine shirt and believes Martins can do an excellent job.
"It’s important is to have a number nine who fills the shirt and can do the job,” Roeder told the club’s website.
"If Martins wants the shirt, I will be more than happy to let him take it, if he has a preference for another number that is available, he can have that one as well.
Inter and Newcastle agreed a fee for Martins earlier this week and the striker, who will replace the retired Shearer and injured Michael Owen, is now expected to finalise personal terms.
Oba Oba will be at Saint James’ Park to watch Thursday’s UEFA Cup qualifier against FK Ventspils and could move straight into the squad for Sunday's trip to Aston Villa if his transfer deal is closed.
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OBAFEMI Martins arrived on Tyneside this afternoon as Newcastle United looked to complete his signing from Inter Milan.
The Magpies have agreed a fee with the Serie A giants for the Nigerian striker - a man Toon boss Glenn Roeder revealed was his top transfer target this summer.
Martins was heading straight for a medical after landing at Newcastle Airport, and all being well, he will be at St. James' Park to watch the UEFA Cup game with FK Ventspils.
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