Newcastle United boss Sam Allardyce hopes to complete the signing of Bolton Wanderers midfielder Abdoulaye Faye for £2 million today.
"Because it has gone on so long, I really just don't know where it lies at the moment.
"We are pursuing two targets at this particular moment and outside of that, if they do not work, there are another couple that we can move to very quickly.
"Hopefully, at least one player will arrive by Friday, and hopefully two."
Newcastle have also been linked with England right-back Glen Johnson, 23, who spent last season on loan at Portsmouth and could be surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge with Chelsea having just signed Juliano Belletti from Barcelona.