SAM Allardyce was close to making up for a summer of frustration on Thursday as he homed in on former Real Madrid centre-back, Julio Cesar.

The 25-year-old Brazilian, who has played in four European leagues, was the star turn as Wanderers kicked off their pre-season programme of friendlies with a 2-0 victory over Dundee United on Wednesday night.

Allardyce fielded five trialists, including former Barcelona and Manchester United midfielder Jordi Cruyff, but it was Julio Cesar and his fellow Brazilian, Emerson, who caught the eye.

Wanderers were reluctant to identify the impressive number five -- Allardyce merely told curious fans that he was called "Julio" -- but there was no mistaking the man who played alongside Ivan Campo at the Bernabeu before moving to Real Valladolid last season.

Allardyce, whose transfer talks with Marseille's Algerian midfielder Brahim Hemdani broke down yesterday, is now aiming to sign the Samba star, who has built a reputation as a quality defender in a varied career

which has included spells with Austria Vienna, Benfica, Real Sociedad and AC Milan.

Julio Cesar played all but three minutes at Leyland's County Ground -- the first half at centre-back, the second at left-back -- against the Scottish Premier League side.

Allardyce used 22 players, including new signings Michael Bridges and Rahdi Jaidi, and won the game with goals from Kevin Nolan and Kevin Davies.

Cruyff, who has been training with Wanderers, played 73 minutes, as did Emerson, the 32-year-old former Middlesbrough midfielder, who is looking for a new club after an unhappy spell at Rangers.

All the trialists, including two un-named Caribbeans, should know in the next few days whether they are to be offered deals.

Wanderers are is understood to have revived their interest in Le Havre's Cameroon keeper Carlos Kamen after missing out to West Brom in the race to sign Poland's Tomasz Kuszczak, who was out of contract after leaving the German club Hertha Berlin.