When Sir Bobby Robson bought the highly-rated Portuguese youngster during the 2002 season, Hugo Viana was one of Europe's most sought-after talents. Rumour has it, he was turning more heads even than team-mates Cristiano Ronaldo. A central midfielder of outstanding technical ability, Viana had already impressed in his debut season with Sporting Lisbon at the age of 19, winning the prestigious Young European Footballer Of The Year award. With a hefty £8,000,000 price tag paid for Viana, expectation was huge on Tyneside, with many expecting him to be one of the Toon's best young imports for years. Unfortunately, it never quite clicked with Viana, who only managed 39 appearances between 2002 and 2005 for Newcastle, chipping in with a meagre two goals.
