Toon beat Reds to Viana

By Matthew Jones
August 7 2002

Newcastle boss Sir Bobby Robson has confirmed he stole Portuguese wonderkid Hugo Viana from under the nose of Liverpool rival Gerard Houllier.

Newcastle boss Sir Bobby Robson has confirmed he stole Portuguese wonderkid Hugo Viana from under the nose of Liverpool rival Gerard Houllier.

Newcastle's £8.5million swoop for Viana appeared to be a straightforward deal but Robson revealed Liverpool and Celta Vigo offered Sporting Lisbon the same price for their 19-year-old star.

"Both Liverpool and Celta Vigo had made the same offer as we did, so we had to move quickly," said Robson.

"He was going elsewhere so my chairman did very well as he moved quickly and at the right time.
"I spoke to Gerard Houllier the other day and he said, 'You bugger, you got there before me!"

He added: "I had first heard of Hugo around Christmas time because of my contacts at Sporting. They said, 'Bobby, there's a young lad coming through here that you've got to take a look at.'

"So we beat both Liverpool and Celta Vigo - which would have been an easier move for Hugo because Vigo is just an hour-and-a-half's drive from his home - and I'm delighted about that."