United target Veloso is aiming to win over Ferguson

Holding midfielder Veloso has been earmarked as a potential long-term replacement for Paul Scholes, with United assistant manager Carlos Queiroz last night admitting the player is on the club's hit-list.

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And although a deal for the 21-year-old is not likely to be formally discussed until next summer, the Portugal international has admitted he is ready to follow the path trodden by compatriots Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani.

Veloso said: 'My dream is to play in the Premier League and, if possible, for Manchester United. That is not a secret, even though I'm 100 per cent a Sporting Lisbon player at the moment.

'I will wait for the end of the season for any solution to what has been happening and see if an offer finally arrives. But to play for this club would be sensational. It would be nearly impossible for me to reject this option.

'I've been made aware of the presence of the scouts from United. I'm ambitious and want to do more in my career.

'From my time with Portugal I have heard from Cristiano and Nani about what a club United is. Any player would be happy to play there.

'I am still young and I believe that I will arrive in the Premier League one day.'

United scouts have watched £20m-rated Veloso almost constantly over the last two months. Inter Milan and Real Madrid are also in the hunt.

Queiroz admitted United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is a fan of the player but suggested there may not be a place for him in the team who have already qualified for the second stage of the Champions League with two games to spare.

Queiroz said: 'It is impossible to ignore good players and we are following the development of some Portuguese players. One is Veloso. It would be ridiculous not to. Players like Veloso are on the list but maybe not a priority at the moment.

'If Scholes, Michael Carrick, Owen Hargreaves or Anderson leaves the club one day then it is true that a player like Miguel Veloso would be a priority.'

United's preparations were interrupted when Ferguson was charged with using abusive or insulting language towards referee Mark Clattenburg during Saturday's Premier League defeat at Bolton.

Ferguson is likely to be fined for his outburst but yesterday merely underlined his stance that his players should receive more protection from officials.

He said: 'The key point is that referees control what happens on the field. He is the arbiter of the laws and on Saturday we felt aggrieved about that.'

United will field a relatively strong side at Old Trafford this evening as they seek the win that would send them into the next phase as group winners.

Victory would also enable them to rest key players at Roma next month for a final group game that comes before the Premier League visit to Liverpool.

Ferguson said: 'It would give me a perfect opportunity to rest players against Roma if I wanted to. I'd like to field a pretty strong team against Sporting because it's also an important game for them and for Roma, who are trying to qualify with us.

'It won't be easy. Sporting were very unlucky in their last game against Roma and will want to put that right against us.'

Veloso will take his place in a youthful Sporting line-up keen for some kind of revenge for their 1-0 defeat by United in Lisbon back in September.

He added: 'This match is decisive for us in terms of our future in Europe this season.

'From my personal point of view, I do not need to prove anything to the English. Veloso is the same player in each match and I do not try to reach a superior level in one particular match.

'Queiroz spoke about me in the papers in a good way and that is important, but at the moment I'm at Sporting and the question about a move to United is only a possibility.'

MANCHESTER UNITED: (4-4-1-1): Kuszczack; Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, O'Shea; Ronaldo, Fletcher, Hargreaves, Nani; Giggs; Tevez.

SPORTING LISBON: (4-3-1-2): Patricio; Abel, Tonel, Polga, Had; Izmailov, Veloso, Moutinho; Romagnoli; Liedson, Purovic.

Referee: Claus Bo Larsen (Den).

TV: ITV1 7.30pm (kick-off 7.45)