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Viduka for Butt swop Aug 1 2005 by Eric Paylor, Evening Gazette
Mark Viduka could be Newcastle bound this week - with Nicky Butt coming to Teesside in an audacious swop deal.
The shock move has been instigated by Magpies boss Graeme Souness, who is desperate to strengthen his attack.
Viduka would fit the fill at St James's, while Steve McClaren will believe he can resurrect the career of Geordie flop Butt and solve his midfield dilemma.
For Viduka, a switch to Tyneside would enable the big Aussie to start again on an even keel following his Teesside injury agonies.
The Evening Gazette understands that the key to the deal taking place is Newcastle's willingness to offer a sizeable amount of cash to accompany the swop arrangement.
Boro would want somewhere in the region of £2m plus Butt, before allowing Viduka to go.
The Aussie was withdrawn from the second match of Boro's four-team tournament in the Algarve on Saturday night, which suggests that negotiations had already opened at that stage.
The talk of the swop will intrigue fans of both clubs, who will be weighing up who will get the better of the deal should it reach a conclusion this week.
Boro paid a massive £4.5m for Viduka just 12 months ago and, despite occasional fitness problems, he scored seven goals before Christmas.
However, a Boxing Day back injury at Birmingham City virtually ended his campaign and he lasted just ten minutes in an attempted comeback at Crystal Palace in April.
McClaren brought in new striker Yakubu for a whopping £7.5m this summer and the Nigerian looked set for a three-way tussle up front along with Viduka and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.
But the Gazette revealed exclusively a few weeks ago that three could become two because Newcastle were keen on Viduka.
Now the Magpies have hardened up this interest, and the offer of Butt in return is very tempting for McClaren.
The 30-year-old former England international has endured a disastrous 12 months on Tyneside and was booed off by Newcastle fans in the FA Cup semi-final defeat by Manchester United.
But Butt knows McClaren well from their days together at Old Trafford and the Boro boss could help him to rediscover his best form.
Butt would also solve McClaren's dilemma - the manager having failed to snap up the quality ball player he has been seeking.
It's certainly not a deal made in heaven, but both clubs could benefit, especially if Boro could land a cash windfall as a result.
The one thing Boro fans would not want to see, however, is Viduka scoring goals on a regular basis for the Geordies
I honesly dont know if this would be a good deal or a bad one!
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