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Newcastle United have taken the first concrete step in a potential move for Victor Froholdt. Fresh contact has been made over the Porto midfielder’s situation. The Magpies have been linked with the Dane in recent days as they prepare for Bruno Guimarães’ expected move to Arsenal, but the latest update from Portugal suggests the process has now moved beyond simple scouting. According to O Jogo, Newcastle United have contacted Froholdt’s representatives to gather information about a possible transfer. First approach made The Portuguese newspaper reports Newcastle United have sounded out the player’s camp. They want to understand the conditions of a potential deal and, just as importantly, whether Froholdt would be interested in moving to the Premier League. At this stage, however, that is the extent of the club’s activity. O Jogo stress Porto have not received any contact from Newcastle. No formal proposal has been submitted for the midfielder, who was voted the best player in last season’s Primeira Liga. With Bruno Guimarães edging closer to Arsenal in a deal which could reach €90m (£77.8m), Newcastle United know they will soon need to enter the market for a replacement. The report also points out the club’s Saudi-backed ownership means there should be no shortage of financial power. This will matter if they decide to push ahead. Porto remain calm Despite the fresh contact, Porto are not showing any concern. O Jogo say the Portuguese champions feel protected for two reasons. The first is Froholdt’s €85m (£73.4m) release clause. This remains the starting point for any negotiations if Newcastle United decide to follow up their initial enquiry with an official approach. The second is the player’s own stance. Froholdt has repeatedly expressed his desire to stay at Porto for at least another season, and he reinforced that message again after scoring the winning goal in the Portuguese Super Cup. “People talk about taking the next step, but for me Porto is already a huge club,” he said. “I am focused on the next league match. I like being here. Now we are going all out for the championship.” For now, Newcastle have simply gathered information through the player’s representatives. Whether that develops into club-to-club talks is the next question.