Newcastle are lining up a summer move for Manchester United striker Alan Smith, if they can offload some of their big-earning stars.

Magpies chairman Freddy Shepherd confirmed the 24-year-old was a target last summer but refused to rule out another move for the former Leeds front man.

"We tried to sign Smith last season but he chose Manchester United instead of us," said Shepherd prior to flying out to Portugal yesterday.

With Alan Shearer still expected to hang up his boots in May, Craig Bellamy an almost certain departure, and Patrick Kluivert's future in the balance, Newcastle could be left with Shola Ameobi as their only recognised striker in the summer.

Shepherd is in Lisbon in an attempt to secure a permanent move for Hugo Viana back to his homeland after his year-long loan deal expires in the summer.

The Magpies play Sporting in the last eight of the UEFA Cup - two-legs which Viana will be forced to sit out - and he has always stated his desire to remain in the Portuguese capital.

"We are now talking to them about Hugo's future as really we want to know what they are going to do at the end of the season," said Shepherd.

Bellamy's future could well be back in the Premiership with Birmingham likely to pay Newcastle's £6m asking price, but Celtic boss Martin O'Neill has not ruled out a permanent switch to Parkhead.

The Wales striker joined the Hoops on loan in January - following a well-chronicled fall-out with manager Graeme Souness - and has been a huge success.

O'Neill has made no secret of his desire to make Bellamy a permanent fixture at Celtic, but two major obstacles stand in the way of that happening.

The manager has to convince the Celtic board to part with the cash needed to hold on to the forward - and then prepare to do battle with other clubs waiting in the wings for Bellamy's loan deal to end.

But O'Neill insists any decisions over Bellamy's future have been put on hold for the time being.

He said: ''I don't think there's any point in getting ahead of ourselves. First and foremost, there's still a lot of football to be played this season - and I haven't been forcing the issue with Craig at all.

''The idea in the first place was for him to come up here and enjoy himself - which I think he's doing - and then see how things go from there.''

O'Neill is mindful that Bellamy will be popular with other potential employers. ''It's worth remembering that this is a fella who's played Premiership football for quite some considerable time - and also that he won't be short on options when the time comes,'' said the Bhoys boss.

''At the moment, I don't think he's completely sure of what he wants to do himself - and when it comes down to it I think that's still going to be the most important issue.

''If you're asking me if we would like him to stay, of course we would - I think everyone at the football club is in the same boat in that respect.

"But it's too early to talk with any degree of certainty about that at the moment.