United Interested In Making Move For City's Shay Given
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Manchester United Interested In Making Move For Manchester City's Shay Given Next Summer After He Was Offered In Part-Exchange For Wayne Rooney
Veteran goalkeeper told he can leave Eastlands next summer
Shay Given, Manchester CityEXCLUSIVE
Manchester United have expressed an interest in making a move for Shay Given at the end of the season, Goal.com UK can reveal.
Manchester City were willing to offer the experienced goalkeeper in part-exchange to help smooth through the transfer of Wayne Rooney before his anticipated switch to the City of Manchester Stadium collapsed last week.
But United are ready to re-ignite their interest in Given, 34, when manager Sir Alex Ferguson completely overhauls his squad next summer.
Current No.1 Edwin van der Sar is widely expected to retire at the end of the season and Ferguson is believed to be willing to listen to offers for the Dutchman’s understudy Tomasz Kuszczak.
City have told the Republic of Ireland keeper that they want to keep him as back up for Joe Hart until the end of the season and will not stand in his way if he wants to leave the club he joined from Newcastle United during the 2009 January transfer window.
“City want two top goalkeepers until the end of the season and have told Given that they want him to stay and will then help him find a new club,” a City source told Goal.com UK. “They like him a lot but Hart is the undisputed No.1 now and Given is aware that his opportunities are likely to be limited. He wants regular first-team football and at his age does not want to be sitting on the bench every week.
“City were willing to offer him to United to smooth through the transfer of Rooney, and would have let him go in January in those unique set of circumstances. But now they are adamant that he stays as quality back-up until the summer window.”
Although City were unwilling to sell the likes of Micah Richards and Craig Bellamy to Champions League rivals Tottenham last summer, they are ready to make an exception for Given, whose £90,000-a-week wages will be a problem for any clubs outside the top six.
Fulham enquired about taking Given on loan at the end of August but pulled out after medical checks revealed he had not fully recovered from the dislocated shoulder he suffered at the end of last season.
Ferguson wants to bring two top-class goalkeepers to Old Trafford next summer and has been assured by the Glazer family that he will have a transfer kitty of £50 million plus whatever he makes from player sales.
Among the goalkeepers he has been linked with are Ajax’s Maarten Stekelenburg, Schalke’s Manuel Neuer and Atletico Madrid’s David de Gea.
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Wise choice! He could be the coup of the season.
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i wouldn't sign him, because kuszczak will unleash his wrath