Sporting Lisbon are stepping up their chase for FC Utrecht striker Sebastian Haller, according to L’Equipe. The Frenchman has also been linked today with Newcastle in the British media with the Evening Chronicle among others stating there could be interest in the 22 year old.
L’Equipe believe however that Sporting are currently the front runners for Haller after Chinese side Guangzhou Evergrande were turned down by the player after a €15million bid was accepted by Utrecht.
After playing for Auxerre for three years, he moved on loan to the Eredivisie in the 2015 January transfer window. He scored 11 goals in 17 league matches impressing enough to sign on a permanent basis last summer. He had an equally successful campaign last season, scoring 17 goals in the Eredivisie finishing sixth in the league’s goalscoring charts.
Rafa Benitez is believed to be looking for a striker, a winger and a left back before transfer deadline day, but also wants to sell a number of players as he looks to cut the size of his squad.
