Given City deal done
ON HIS WAY: Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given
Thursday January 29 2009
DEAL done! Shay Given will put eleven years of loyalty and chaos behind him to move to Manchester City after Mark Hughes finally offered enough to prise him loose from Newcastle.
The deal, negotiated by Michael Kennedy, is thought to be worth close to £10m to the Toon, while Given is expected to net a salary package worth £70k a week for the duration of a four-year contract.
The news will come as no surprise to Joe Kinnear who left Given out of the team that lost 2-1 to Manchester City at Eastlands last night.
"I've bent over backwards to keep Shay, and I have told the powers-that-be that he has got to stay. But I understand it from Shay's point of view. He's done 11 years here and I think he wants a new challenge. It's out of my hands, and I am still waiting for the final outcome. But I think he wants a new challenge and he wants to speak to Manchester City.
"I would be heartbroken to see him go, because he is one of the best goalkeepers in the world. But City keep banging on the door to talk to him," said Kinnear.
Meanwhile Willo Flood, hero and villain for Dundee United against Celtic in the Scottish League Cup semi-final, has called on Celtic to clarify his transfer situation.
Flood and Dundee United pushed Celtic all the way to a penalty-shoot-out and the young Dub smashed home the first spot-kick of the night with huge confidence after a stunning performance during 120 minutes of frantic action.
However, a string of top class penalties followed and at 10-10, Flood was forced to take another which hit the bar.
Still feeling the disappointment, he reacted sharply to questions about an imminent transfer to Paradise.
"I think that it's a bit stupid the way that things have gone on. If it's going to be done, it should have been done.
"If it's not going to happen, they should make a statement, it's a bit disrespectful to Dundee United when they have been so good to me.
"It's been unsettling for me, I have a missus and a kid, and we don't know whether we're coming or going," said Flood.
- Paul Hyland
