Shay would stay Tyneside, but is it a given?

NEWCASTLE keeper Shay Given hopes to stay on at Tyneside amid mounting speculation over his future.

The 29-year-old Irishman is currently in talks over a new contract and insists he is puzzled by reports suggesting that he is ready to quit St James’ Park for a move to Spain.

“I saw the reports, but I’m not sure where they came from,” he said.

“I think I did an interview about a year or so ago, saying I might fancy a couple of years in Spain and it’s obviously been brought up again because I only have a few months left on my contract.

“I’m in talks about my contract at the moment, so we’ll see how that goes and hopefully it will be sorted so I can stay here for a long time.”

Given has been one of Newcastle’s most consistent performers since Kenny Dalglish paid Blackburn £1.5m for his services during the summer of 1997.

Like captain Alan Shearer, the only current regular who has been at St James’ longer than him, Given is desperate for a trophy after several near-misses.

He admitted earlier this season that tangible success is something he desperately needs before he retires, and although time is on his side, unlike Shearer, that has prompted speculation that he could move in a bid to fulfil his dreams.

That is something neither manager Graeme Souness nor chairman Freddy Shepherd would want to countenance, and both will be hoping that they can persuade the Lifford-born stopper to once again commit himself to the club.

Souness is currently assessing his limited options for strengthening the squad during the January transfer window but the goalkeeping position is one that he will be hoping he can leave alone, despite number two goalie Steve Harper’s burning desire for first-team football.

Souness is hoping to do business elsewhere but has already hinted that he will have to sell before he can buy, having spent £50m in the last 12 months.

Unsettled midfielder Lee Bowyer remains the main candidate for sale with Charlton and Birmingham monitoring his progress, although the possibility of Danny Murphy travelling in the opposite direction has established the Addicks as slight favourites.

But that may depend on Alan Curbishley’s willingness to do a straight swap, with the Magpies unwilling to pay the £2.5m difference the Londoners are understood to want having rejected the possibility of Amady Faye being used as a makeweight in he deal.

In the meantime, Souness will take his players to Fulham without Michael Owen, Scott Parker, Kieron Dyer, Steven Taylor or Craig Moore, while Faye is away on international duty and Shola Ameobi is doubtful.