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Newcastle United’s interest in Victor Froholdt has been put on ice. Two fresh reports suggest the move has become much less straightforward. The Magpies have identified the Porto midfielder as one of the players capable of replacing Bruno Guimarães. The Brazilian is expected to complete his move to Arsenal this week. Contacts have already been made with Froholdt’s representatives. However, the latest information from Portugal points to growing obstacles on both sides. Froholdt not sold on Newcastle project Friday’s newspaper edition of A Bola reports Victor Froholdt is fully aware of Newcastle’s interest. But the Danish international does not see St James’ Park as the next step he wants to take in his career. According to the newspaper, the 20-year-old and those around him believe that when he eventually leaves Porto, it should be for one of Europe’s biggest clubs. The report even goes as far as suggesting that, if Newcastle were to trigger his €85m (£73.7m) release clause, Froholdt still would not agree to the move. This is because he does not view the Magpies as belonging to that very top tier. The midfielder is said to feel valued at Porto, where he is an undisputed starter under Francesco Farioli. He is in no rush to leave. Moreover, he has no intention of forcing a transfer during an important stage of the season. Instead, the report says he remains fully committed to Porto. He expects to continue his development in the Champions League unless one of Europe’s elite clubs arrives with an offer capable of changing the picture. Newcastle also cooling interest O Jogo, meanwhile, says Newcastle’s own thinking may also be shifting. The newspaper reports that Porto’s insistence on the €85m (£73.7m) release clause has made the deal difficult to justify. This is particularly true for a player of Froholdt’s profile. It adds that Newcastle are now leaning towards signing someone with more experience to replace Bruno Guimarães, believing the Brazilian’s influence on and off the pitch demands a readymade replacement instead of another young midfielder. According to the report, Stuttgart’s Angelo Stiller and Roma’s Manu Koné, both 25, are now considered a closer fit for what Newcastle are looking for. Furthermore, Correio da Manhã points to Benfica’s Richard Ríos, which had already been identified as an attainable target. Both papers also notes that, despite Saudi-backed ownership, Newcastle still have financial restrictions to work within under UEFA and Premier League regulations, making any deal of that size harder to complete. Taken together, the two Portuguese reports suggest the Froholdt story has cooled from both directions. Porto’s valuation remains unchanged, and the player is in no hurry to leave. At the same time, Newcastle appear to be weighing up more experienced alternatives.