Newcastle jump queue for Miguel Veloso

Premiership quintet chasing star midfielder

The circle of admirers tracking Sporting and Portugal star Miguel Veloso expands by the day. Newcastle United are the latest club to join the chase for the precociously talented defensive midfielder, reportedly tabling a 20m euro offer to the Lisbon club.

The bid falls short of the 30m euro buy-out clause in Veloso’s contract and Newcastle face fierce competition from fellow Premiership teams Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal (who lost Flamini to Milan earlier this week) and Tottenham, all of whom have shown strong interest in the classy 21-year-old.

While speculation has been rife linking all these clubs with Veloso, as well as Real Madrid, Newcastle are thought to be the first club to make a firm offer.

Kevin Keegan recently ran the rule over the midfielder in the flesh when Sporting played Glasgow Rangers in the Uefa Cup at Ibrox Stadium, and was so impressed he instructed his board to prepare a bid. The upshot is a proposal arriving at Alvalade to buy the player, already a full Portugal international, for 20 million euros.


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Sporting president, Filipe Soares Franco, has repeatedly said that he will do everything in his power to keep Veloso in Lisbon for at least one more season. And coach Paulo Bento said only last week that “planning for next season with Miguel Veloso is one thing – planning for next season without Miguel Veloso is something completely different.”

Any hope Sporting have of keeping the player at the club, at least until January, is heavily dependent on the Lions qualifying for the Champions League next season.

The Lisbon outfit are well placed to do so, requiring a draw in their final Liga match of the season at home to Boavista on Sunday to guarantee second place and direct entry into Europe’s premier club competition.