Newcastle bid again for Miguel

Transfer news: Newcastle United's ambitious summer recruitment policy, which has so far yielded Patrick Kluivert from Barcelona, Nicky Butt from Manchester United and James Milner from Leeds, may yet bring the Portugal right-back Miguel to St James' Park.

Newcastle yesterday offered Miguel's club, Benfica, £5 million for the 24-year-old. Benfica are now considering the offer, which is approximately the same as the one Newcastle made a few weeks ago except that the £8.5m Hugo Viana is not included in the deal.

Whether Benfica think it is value for money is still to be established but they will surely look at the £13.2m Chelsea paid Porto for Paulo Ferreira, whose place in the Portuguese national team Miguel took at Euro 2004. Benfica's new manager, Giovanni Trapattoni, may also dig in his heels.

But, having made one good offer and then followed up with another, Newcastle have let Benfica know that they will go no further than £5m.

Should Miguel's transfer not happen - the player himself has said he would like to move to England - Newcastle still have an eye on Stephen Carr as he enters his last year under contract at Tottenham.

Newcastle's bid will please the manager, Bobby Robson, who has regarded a new right back as his priority. Robson included Miguel in his team of the tournament after Euro 2004, when the player showed the sort of attacking dynamism Robson apparently feels is lacking in Aaron Hughes, the current Newcastle right-back.

A converted winger, Miguel displaced Ferreira after the opening game against Greece and, though Miguel limped off before the interval in the final, also against Greece, there was enough time for him to show how positive he can be from a defensive position.

The Ajax full back Hatem Trabelsi had been targeted by Newcastle, as well as Arsenal, but Newcastle have been concerned by reports of Trabelsi and a long-standing knee complaint.

Butt, who flew back from Manchester United's tour in the United States to join up with Newcastle, has also had knee trouble but Newcastle are satisfied the £2.5m is well spent.

Provided he passes a medical today, Butt should be involved at some stage in Newcastle's mini-tournament at St James' over the weekend. It will also be Newcastle fans' first chance to see Kluivert in black and white.

Sergei Rebrov will attempt to resurrect his flagging career after signing for West Ham on a free transfer. The 30-year-old Ukraine international is the second former Tottenham player to sign for the Hammers in a fortnight following Teddy Sheringham's move to Upton Park.

But Rebrov has more to prove than Sheringham, having flopped dramatically in four years at White Hart Lane despite the £11m Spurs paid Dynamo Kiev for his services.

At Kiev he was superb alongside Andrei Shevchenko but managed only 10 league goals for Spurs, who released him this summer following a spell on loan at Fenerbahce. But Rebrov impressed Alan Pardew after being invited to train with West Ham, and the Hammers manager hopes he can recapture past form and help the club back into the Premiership.

Pardew said: "When Sergei became a free agent I thought with his reputation, record and skill we would be foolish not to have a look at him. It quickly became apparent he had a feel for this club and would be a great asset to the squad."

Rebrov has passed a medical at Upton Park and will make his debut in Saturday's pre-season friendly against Anderlecht if his work permit is granted in time.

Pardew expects no problems on that front with Rebrov still a regular for his country, and his arrival should appease fans concerned by the £500,000 departure of the Republic of Ireland international David Connolly to Leicester.