Good news today that Newcastle United are understood to have entered the race to sign Sporting Lisbon midfield star Miguel Veloso.
Miguel Veloso – great Newcastle target
The very highly-rated Portugal international has already been linked with Manchester United and Tottenham.
However, the good news is that of those 3 teams, Newcastle is said to be the only one so far, which has made a firm approach for the player.
We will not have to raise our hopes too high on this one, but you cannot criticize Newcastle for not going after the very best players, since Velosa is an excellent player already and a great prospect for the future.
Reports suggest Newcastle are willing to offer around £15M for the youngster, and will offer Miguel a five-year contract at St James’ Park.
Sporting have previously said they will not sell for less than around £23M so any deal could still be a long way off.
But it will also be important for Newcastle to try to get a deal done very quickly, and not risk some other club coming in – as was the case with Modric – and take the player from under our noses.
Of course, we do understand we are not in a particularly strong position for the top players, but hopefully Kevin will talk to each potential target and describe his goals for the club. That should help.
Veloso is Portuguese and plays defensive midfield for Sporting Lisbon, but he can also play as a center-back or left-back. He is also a threat on set pieces with his free kicks.
Miguel started his career at SL Benfica where his father, Antonio, was a famous footballer. But at the age of 14 he switched to rivals Sporting Clube de Portugal, where he has now played for 5 straight seasons and eventually made the first team squad in the 2004-2005 season.
He stands 5’11″ tall and has played for Sporting Lisbon 22 times.
Last August, Miguel was called up for the Portuguese national squad for the first time, for a European 2008 qualifier against Armenia and he eventually made his full international debut for Portugal against Azerbaijan on 13 October 2007.
Of course lots of fans will remember another young Portuguese player Hugo Viana, for whom we paid close to £10M, when Bobby Robson was manager, and he just didn’t make it at Newcastle.
Miguel has so far played 5 times for his country.
Comments welcome.
77 comments so far
Tom_Toon
May 8, 2008 at 3:45 PM
Comment #1Great player.
JC
May 8, 2008 at 3:45 PM
Comment #2You got this one up quick ed, fair play!!
JC
May 8, 2008 at 3:46 PM
Comment #3Would be a quality signing IF we got him
nasher
May 8, 2008 at 3:49 PM
Comment #4heard this too many times before, wont belive it until hes in the press room at sjp!
Ed Harrison
May 8, 2008 at 3:50 PM
Comment #5nasher – right – we’ll just have to hope for the best. 😀
Yahya Ahmad
May 8, 2008 at 3:52 PM
Comment #6Just pay them 23 million and get him quick!
JC
May 8, 2008 at 3:52 PM
Comment #7Tom Toon wat is the name of the other young cm from sporting!
Hamas (51times)
May 8, 2008 at 3:53 PM
Comment #8I’m not hopeful, really. But like I said before I’m just going to wait and see what happens without getting excited or concerned. Well, maybe the latter…
Dave
May 8, 2008 at 3:54 PM
Comment #9JC, you thinking of Moutinho?
Spyro
May 8, 2008 at 3:56 PM
Comment #10moutinho, guys i wouldnt even bother getting your hopes up about Veloso, its possible, but not a likely signing
Spyro
May 8, 2008 at 3:58 PM
Comment #11by the way, where has this news come from
JC
May 8, 2008 at 3:58 PM
Comment #12Yeah is he not good as well or is veloso better?
THELONGSHANKS
May 8, 2008 at 3:58 PM
Comment #13If we get him our young midfield would be nzogbia,veleso,lua lua,milner i like the look of that one for the future,have to hope zog stays aswell.
JC
May 8, 2008 at 4:00 PM
Comment #14Setanta Sports
Tom_Toon
May 8, 2008 at 4:01 PM
Comment #15Wouldnt get Moutinho, he wont fit the prem.
If Veloso comes id give him the armband.
Geordie Gerrard7
May 8, 2008 at 4:03 PM
Comment #16we need to sign him
Spyro
May 8, 2008 at 4:03 PM
Comment #17for gods sake, people are already pasting him into our next seasons midfield. wtf!? stop setting yourselves up for disappointment. As soon as we make an offer the big clubs will swoop.
Veloso is much better than Moutinho
Tom_Toon
May 8, 2008 at 4:05 PM
Comment #18Id like a few players from eastern europe, except from the opvious Arshavin and Daniel Carvalho.
Bilayetadinov, Bystrov and Husyev in particular.
moomfan
May 8, 2008 at 4:06 PM
Comment #19has the liverpool boss lost his blooming noggin? 15m for the twyne is incredibly rediculous. he would have fitted in to our squad nicely, but not a bob over 7m in my eyes. that is exactly why these big clubs are able to spend lots of money, they jack their prices and the dumb smaller clubs feel they have not choice. not true, cruochi can rot on liverpool’s f-ing bench if that is what he prefers or he can make sure that rafa get reasonable. the same goes for all the rest. it is either they want to sell or they don’t. price gouging is not honorable.
richie
May 8, 2008 at 4:06 PM
Comment #20speculation kiling me ,lets be greedy and move fast t get
veloso
mcgeady
dunne
campbell
crouch
bridge
gudjohnson
IF THEY WOULD SIGN, more hopeful than anyhtin since modric let down
Geordie Gerrard7
May 8, 2008 at 4:10 PM
Comment #21no one will no anything untill tomorow, i cant wait for the new tomorow. im with tom toon about eastern europe. i also like that tymoschuck holding midfield player from zenit. daniel carvalho is qaulity but seems to be off to inter mate but that bilyetdinov seems to be one of the best youngerns around atm
Hamas (51times)
May 8, 2008 at 4:11 PM
Comment #22moomfan – What are you talking about? Seriously I have no idea what you were trying to say.
ObaFan2
May 8, 2008 at 4:12 PM
Comment #23Wake me up when we actually sign someone thanks 😀
It might be easier to post about people we are not intersted in!!!!!!!!!
Hadrian
May 8, 2008 at 4:15 PM
Comment #24going to spurs .
seetow
May 8, 2008 at 4:15 PM
Comment #25wouldn’t get my hopes high on this one.. would be gutted to see him go to manure or someone else. but wouldn’t be too sad seeing him go to spurs, cos that would mean goldfish-bowl-jenas wouldn’t get a game! 😀
ObaFan2
May 8, 2008 at 4:15 PM
Comment #26Hamas, Rafa has put £15 million tag on Crouch and I think moomfan thinks this is a little high lol.
JC
May 8, 2008 at 4:19 PM
Comment #27That Bystrov lad is meant to be a rocket tom toon or I’m thinking of someone else?
Hamas (51times)
May 8, 2008 at 4:20 PM
Comment #28Yeah that is a little high. He’s English though so it’s to be expected.
toonoholic
May 8, 2008 at 4:22 PM
Comment #29sigh , i am ready to be disappointed again. finally we might just sign amdy faye again 🙁
Geordie Gerrard7
May 8, 2008 at 4:23 PM
Comment #30IF CROUCH IS WORTH 15, THEN OBA IS WORTH 30
Hadrian
May 8, 2008 at 4:23 PM
Comment #31yeah sure rafa , offer 10 mill for barry and set a price tag of 15 for crouch , i can see how he worked that one out ! 😀
Ant
May 8, 2008 at 4:25 PM
Comment #32NEWS JUST IN!
No-one in the Premier League wants Alan Smith.
The tea-boy at Stoke City had this to say “Alan Smith is a terrible player. He wasn’t great at Leeds, was average for Man U and is worse than a chocolate fire guard at Newcastle. We have people in wheelchairs with better finishing”
Alan Smith – The professional footballing equivalent of banging a 30 stone woman with BO. There’s not enough beer to make this look right.
Stami - PLAY CARROLL
May 8, 2008 at 4:36 PM
Comment #33Crouch is worth 12m at most IMO! he is a great player, getting older, but experienced and an absolute master infront of goal! his goal scoring record is impressive too. if Viduka is really going to be out for 6 months(more like 8 ) then Crouch should be a must! Unless Carroll is ready to play 1st team next season!
ObaFan2
May 8, 2008 at 4:36 PM
Comment #34Oba’s priceless in my books 🙂
Eric
May 8, 2008 at 4:38 PM
Comment #35Great if we can get Veloso. It will spark others to go for him though. Spurs in the chase? How many midfielders do they want to play? Ten each game?
Tom_Toon
May 8, 2008 at 4:38 PM
Comment #36JC, you are thinking of the right player.
Bystrov is probably one of the fastest footballer on earth.
Thomas
May 8, 2008 at 5:02 PM
Comment #37Just hoping if at all we do enter the race for veloso, we finish in 1st place this time atleast.
Just pay damn good money and get him. There are greedy people out there so hoping he’s one.
Aint getting my hopes too high this time around thou!!
UTD111
May 8, 2008 at 5:06 PM
Comment #38Ant – I think your comments about Smithy are offensive and inaccurate. In spite of the culture which has formed amongst “regulars” in this blog, there are many United fans who agree with Kevin Keegan that Smithy is an excellent squad player and a great professional to have around the club.
Petey
May 8, 2008 at 5:12 PM
Comment #39If he is in any way linked to man united, then they will probably get him. Man united and sporting are pretty much working like a parent/feeder club with each other. Or at least thats what it seems.
Either way, if we are going potuguese, then we shud go for Lucho Gonzalez (argentinian i know, but he plays for porto) but thats just my opinion. I dont speak for kk 🙂 YET! 😛
greg
May 8, 2008 at 5:13 PM
Comment #40well that’s him signing for Spurs, then