Keegan offers Sun new deal

Manchester City full-back Sun Jihai has received the perfect 27th birthday present from Kevin Keegan with the offer of a new contract.

The China international has struggled to establish himself in the Blues line-up on a regular basis since joining City from Dalian Wanda in February 2002.

Sun has started just two games so far this season but is set to get the nod for Saturday’s televised encounter with Southampton after Antoine Sibierski was ruled out with cracked ribs.

Keegan has always believed the former Crystal Palace man to be capable of more consistent performances than he has delivered during his second stint in England but the former England coach thinks the arrival of Sun’s wife and baby from China recently has offered him a new lease of life and he is hopeful of extending the defender’s stay with the Barclays Premiership club.

“His contract is up at the end of the season and I started talks with his representative earlier this week,” Keegan told www.mcfc.co.uk.

“There was a period about six months ago when it looked as if his mind was not here. But since his wife has come here with the baby he has been a different guy.

“The truth is he has not been able to nail down a first-team place consistently but he is an excellent player and maybe the best is still to come.”

Sun is likely to get his chance on the left-hand side of midfield at St Mary’s following confirmation of the injury Sibierski suffered against Arsenal on Saturday.

With Trevor Sinclair and Claudio Reyna already ruled out and Steve McManaman likely to be on the bench at best as he continues his recovery from an Achilles problem, Keegan is likely to hand Sun the spare starting berth in preference to Willo Flood, who impressed on his Premiership bow against Arsenal last week.

Robbie Fowler is still not being considered for selection, so Keegan will take just a 17-man party to his former club, with midfielder Christian Negouai drafted into the squad even though the 29-year-old has made just five league appearances in three years since his £1.5m (€2.2m) arrival from Charleroi.