EXCLUSIVE
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.
