LUIS FIGO and Belozoglu Emre have verbally agreed to join Newcastle United - but manager Graeme Souness fears he could still miss out on both men because of their high wage demands.

Souness flew to Turkey this week to discuss terms with Emre and arrived back to Tyneside on Thursday confident a transfer from Inter Milan would go through.

The midfielder also expected to be training with the Magpies when pre-season training starts a week on Monday, but the switch has stalled at the last moment.

Newcastle are still desperate to add Emre to their ranks and the deal is far from breaking down, yet other clubs could make a last-ditch bid to land his services before he puts pen to paper.

The same situation appears to have opened up regarding Real Madrid star Figo, who has been told he can leave the Bernabeu on a free.

St James' Park chairman Freddy Shepherd - who could soon have to deal with a £6m bid from Tottenham for Jermaine Jenas - is keen to see the two players pull on the black and white shirt next season but is taking a cautious stance towards their pay packets.

Emre is thought to be demanding £60,000 a week and, while it is unknown just how much Figo is asking for, he would ideally like to earn somewhere near the reported £4.6m-a-year he picks up in Madrid.

Souness is just hoping neither man uses the stand-off to find suitable employment elsewhere over the weekend.

It has become clear Emre is relishing the prospect of a move to the Premiership and playing in front of 52,000 fanatical Geordies every time he has a home game.

"Newcastle are one of the biggest clubs in England and they have made me a nice offer. That's why I chose them," Emre, who was also courted by Everton, is quoted as saying in his homeland.

"Having Galatasaray's ex-manager at Newcastle was another strong factor.

"I'm close to becoming a Newcastle United player and I believe I will be successful there.

"A number of clubs from Turkey, including Fenerbahce, made offers. However, I have been repeatedly saying I would like continue my career in Europe."

While Everton have dropped out of the running for Emre, the need to tie Figo down quickly is more urgent.

As the former World Player of the Year holds such a high standing in the game there is no shortage of takers, with Liverpool known to have made an inquiry.

If negotiations end in both Figo and Emre arriving then they are likely to be joined for pre-season training by the unwanted Craig Bellamy.

Having failed to sell the Welshman so far this summer, Souness must decide what to do with the 25-year-old when their paths cross at the training ground on July 4.

The pair's infamous spat - the manager accused the player of feigning injury and the player accused the manager of being a liar in January - led to the Scot insisting on numerous occasions Bellamy would never play for him again.

However, Bellamy has not accepted a move to Aston Villa and Celtic have not gone back in for him since his loan expired, so a return to St James' is on the cards.

The confrontational striker is looking forward to it.

"What I will say is that the summer has flown by and I can hardly believe that it's time to report back for training," he said.

"Whether I train with the kids is not up to me.

"But if that's what I am told to do, then that's what I'll do. All I can do is act in a professional and respectful manner and see what happens after that. I will be keeping my head down and just getting on with my job.

"I have two years left on my contract and at no time have I ever said that I want to leave the club."

With Shola Ameobi out until late August through injury and Patrick Kluivert having departed for Valencia, Souness may be forced into an uncharacteristic U-turn.

Newcastle play their first InterToto Cup game against a team from either Hungary, Turkey or Slovakia on July 15 or 16 and Souness hopes to have a strong squad fit, available and ready for action.

As no team seems willing to meet his reported £55,000-a-week wages, Bellamy could be heading for an unlikely recall.