Viana returns to 'fight for his place' Hugo Viana is on his way back to Newcastle and ready to fight for his place. The 22-year-old Portuguese midfielder will return for pre-season training on Monday after Porto and Benfica dropped out of the race to sign him with Sporting Lisbon, the club at which he spent last season on loan, unable to come up with the means to buy him back. Viana, an £8.5million signing from Sporting during the summer of 2002, will now resume his career on Tyneside and hope to persuade new manager Graeme Souness he can put his previous disappointments behind him and prove himself capable of holding down a place in the team. 'I have accepted that I will return to Newcastle on Monday and I am very relaxed about the situation,' he said. 'I am contracted to the club for another three years and that is not a problem as far as I am concerned. 'Everybody knows United have tried to transfer me this summer but I do not expect the club to sell me for next to nothing. The chairman has done everything in his power to make things happen, but it is all quiet. 'Now I am only thinking about the Intertoto Cup and my aim is to make the first squad. I always said I was proud to wear the black-and-white stripes and that has never changed. This is a second chance for me.'
i agree. i rate him. he was overwhelmed by the prem tho. the penny could drop and he could become decent player.
Not denying he's a good player but you gotta love how theyre always coming back to "fight for their place" when they come back off loan. Its alright if its a young player out to get experience but when its players like Viana who i reckon if a bid came in it'd be accepted straight away imo the only reason they're coming back is cos nobody else wants them, its the same with most players imo.
I dont think anyone is under the illusion hes back cos he wants to be back. Its nice hes said hes going to buckle down tho IMO.
