It is beinf reported this morning that Aston Villa are finally close to securing the new replacement for Brad Friedel who left Villa Park on a free transfer to Tottenham.
The Sun reports that the Man City keeper Shay Given is just a few days away from leaving the Eastlands with talks between City and Villa nearing agreement after Roberto Mancini’s representatives refused the opening offer of £2.5m.
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The Republic of Ireland international is five years younger than Friedel at 35, and if given regular playing time is hoping to play on for at least another five years.
Given is desperate for first-team football to safeguard his place in the Ireland national team, and if he can regain the form he showed before being replaced by Joe Hart at the Eastlands there is no reason why he couldn’t carry on playing even longer.
Villa offered 2.5 million? What a laughable joke of a club they are. They managed to con United out of 20 million for a very ordinary Ashley Young so should be no problem paying a decent sum for a good keeper.