Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce sets his sights on Portuguese transfer target

Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce is trying to set up a cut-price £4m deal for Nacional Madeira midfielder Ruben Micael.

Allardyce has made a personal check on the 23-year-old playmaker and is looking to tie up a transfer to beat off big-name clubs who are also in the hunt.

Micael, who has been called up to the Portugal squad, has attracted interest from Benfica and is stalling on signing a new deal as his current contract expires in 2011.

That has left Nacional Madeira facing up to having to sell Micael on the cheap with his contract running down and Blackburn are ready to pounce either in January or next summer.