Portuguese defender Ruben Semedo appears set to snub a Premier League move in order to join Villareal in the Spanish La Liga.

Recent speculation claimed that the centre-back had agreed on a deal in principle with Newcastle United, but this was swiftly rebuffed by agent, who said: “Totally false – it’s a lie”.

The Magpies have since failed with a £10m approach for the Portugal under-21 international, and it now appears that he is leaning towards a La Liga switch. Agent Catio Balde confirmed that Semedo would be heading to Spain for next season and beyond but he refused to reveal which club he would be joining.

“We are about to confirm the transfer of Ruben Semedo.I confirm that it is to Spain. We’re hoping to close the deal today (Tuesday),” He told TSF. “Ruben has been met with several possibilities and the club is going to meet what Sporting want. It was in Spain that we found the best option. Until this moment, I couldn’t confirm anything conclusively. He (Ruben Semedo) is on the right track.”

Following this interview, a report from Marca has claimed that the player would be on the cusp of a Villareal move, but a confirmation could be delayed until the player undergoes a series of medical tests. The Yellow Submarines lost a key defender in Mateo Musacchio to AC Milan, and Semedo could have huge boots to fill ahead of the new season.

Villareal finished fifth in the Spanish top flight behind Sevilla who clinched the final Champions League spot. As a result, they will ply their trade in the Europe League where they could face the likes of Arsenal, Lazio and Lyon during the tournament. Semedo helped Sporting to a third place finish in the Primeira Liga last term while also participating in all six outings in last season’s Champions League campaign.