Like most football clubs, Newcastle United have made some mistakes in the transfer market - but what about rejecting the chance to bring in a World Cup winner on a cut-price deal?
That's what happened in 2007-08 campaign as then-boss Sam Allardyce , having flown to Barcelona and all-but agreed to a deal with defender Edmilson, decided to pull the deal.
The move had been put together by Newcastle scout Paul Montgomery - the man who brought Pavel Srnicek to Tyneside - and who will be our special guest at our live talk-in next month.
At our event, Montgomery will be recalling his time as NUFC scout under Jim Smith, Sir Bobby Robson and Allardyce.
Speaking about the Edmilson deal, he said: "I wanted to sign Edmilson for Newcastle. A Brazilian international captain, he had spent four years at Lyon and then four at Barcelona. He could defend AND play.
“Edmilson wasn’t a mercenary. He gave a lot of his money to children’s charities. He wanted to finish his career in the Premier League and Barca were willing to give him a free in recognition of his long service."
“I took Allardyce to Barcelona to meet Edmilson over a meal in a restaurant. I thought it was all done then one morning I woke to find United had signed Alan Smith for £7m, a guy with a poor fitness record after a bad injury."
Allardyce was keen to play Edmilson along side Claudio Cacapa but felt Edmilson's injury record was too much of a risk.
“I am afraid Edmilson is now not an option for us in January," he said in 2007.
“He has not played at all this season and it would be too much of a risk to bring him here next month. But I will be certainly interested in going for him in the summer.
"From what I can gather Claudio Cacapa and Edmilson are big mates and would like to play together in the same side.”
You can buy tickets for our live event here - all ticket proceeds go to the NUFC Fans Foodbank.
