Hugo Viana signed for Newcastle in July 2002 for £8.5m from Sporting Lisbon. He played 32 times for Sporting in 2001/02, scoring once, and was part of the Portuguese Under 21 team at the European Championship Finals in May 2002. He impressed in the Finals and was placed into the Portugal squad for the 2002 World Cup but did not play in the tournament, but made his debut for the full side in November 2001 against Angola.

Viana was rated as Portugal's brightest young talent last season, and in July 2002 he was awarded with the European Young Player of the Year award. This made Sir Bobby Robson splash the cash and bring starlet to Newcastle in a world-record transfer for a teenager.

Viana made his debut in the Champions League qualifier against Zelejnicar in August 2002, and scored his first goal against the Bosnians in the returnn leg at St James'. However, he was plagued by injuries to his shoulder, picked up whilst playing for Portugal, and missed a lot of the season.

Hugo came back though and scored in the final two games of the season against Birmingham and West Brom from free-kicks, and will be hoping to earn his place in the young, attacking Newcastle side next season, and play in Euro 2004 in his homeland next summer.