TOTTENHAM face frustration if they follow up their interest in Newcastle United's Portuguese international Hugo Viana.

United manager Sir Bobby Robson has received a flood of enquiries about the 21-year-old midfielder, who has caught the eye of scouts with impressive performances in the Magpies' last two reserve games.

The much-vaunted Viana, hailed by United chairman Freddy Shepherd as "the best young player in the world'' when he arrived from Sporting Lisbon in an £8.5m deal 18 months ago, has asked for a move after becoming disillusioned with a lack of first-team opportunities.

Viana said he would be prepared to go anywhere to prove his worth, and Sporting failed in an attempt to take him back on loan last month, when Robson insisted he hadn't "a cat in hell's chance'' of leaving St. James' Park.

At the time, Robson was concerned he could lose midfielder Lee Bowyer for three months because of a hip problem.

Even though fears that Bowyer would need an operation were allayed, Robson last week reaffirmed his determination to hang on to Viana when he revealed he had flatly refused a flurry of loan requests.

Spurs, among a host of admirers, have been linked with a £4m move for Viana.

But spending power at White Hart Lane is limited and their only realistic hope of luring him would have been on a loan basis.

With the transfer deadline looming, Birmingham are attempting to persuade Newcastle to part with winger Nolberto Solano in a cut-price £2m deal.

Newcastle are understood to want £4m, and Shepherd is due to have talks with Blues managing director Karren Brady at a two-day Premier League meeting.

Ever since he took charge over four years ago, Robson has been in dispute with Peruvian Solano about his frequent absences on international duty.

Further doubts about the 29-year-old's future have been raised after he was substituted for the sixth successive game in last Saturday's 2-1 FA Cup fourth-round defeat at Liverpool.

Robson's decision to withdraw Solano was greeted with boos from the travelling fans, who then immediately began to chant his name.

The manager later responded by saying: "I wish they would cheer the players who come on.''

Solano, who has also attracted the attention of Birmingham's bitter rivals Aston Villa, is happy to stay on Tyneside as long he is playing first-team football.

But Solano, signed by Kenny Dalglish from Boca Juniors for £2.8m in August 1998, seems increasingly resigned to being Robson's fall guy.

He said: "What can I do? It is the manager's decision. He's the boss. I was a little disappointed because I wanted to be in the game and maybe do more for the team, but there is nothing I can do after I have been substituted."

Newcastle visit Birmingham on Saturday and, with both sides in the hunt for a Champions League place, the Magpies may be reluctant to allow Solano to join immediate rivals.

l Newcastle midfielder Bradley Orr has joined Burnley on a month's loan.

l Newcastle striker Lomana LuaLua was sent off in yesterday's African Nations Cup match against host nation Tunisia after kicking out at an opponent, writes JACK LESLIE.

The DR Congo forward was given his marching orders in the 38th minute following a foul on Jawhar Mnari. LuaLua had aimed a kick in Mnari's direction, thinking the referee and his assistants would not notice.

However, the Tunisia player apparently reacted late to the kick, and was stretchered off.

LuaLua was incensed at the dismissal and initially refused to leave the pitch. He had to be restrained by teammates and then officials on the DR Congo bench as his protest lasted three minutes. Tunisia won the game 3-0

Read more about Newcastle United FC here.