- guardian.co.uk, Friday August 29 2008 00.01 BST
- The Guardian, Friday August 29 2008
Tottenham Hotspur are considering a move for Miguel Veloso, the highly rated Sporting Lisbon defensive midfielder, before the closure of the transfer window on Monday night.
Juande Ramos, the manager, has Tom Huddlestone, Jamie O'Hara and Didier Zokora at his disposal but believes that the Portugal international would add steel in the position. The arrival of Veloso, who is also known for his passing ability, would enable Ramos to play a 4-1-4-1 formation, which might get the best out of the creative talents in his line-up.
Veloso, 22, was part of Luiz Felipe Scolari's Portugal squad at the European Championship but was kept out of the favoured starting line-up by his club-mate Joao Moutinho, who is wanted by Everton. Sporting, who value Moutinho at £20m, which has thus far thwarted Everton, and Veloso at slightly less, are not prepared to lose both at the same time.
Tottenham are expected to be active in the final days of the transfer window. They have agreed a £12m deal with Spartak Moscow for the striker Roman Pavlyuchenko, despite the fact that he will be cup-tied in the Uefa Cup, and they also hope to complete their protracted pursuit of Andrei Arshavin, the £20m-rated attacking midfielder.
