Given delighted by City move

Irish goalkeeper Shay Given is delighted after joining Manchester City from Newcastle.

Given has signed a four-and-a-half year contract with City and will join the club for around £8million.

“It’s exciting times at Manchester City with the new owners and this manager,” Given told the club’s official website.

“There are big plans for the club. I am very excited to be joining and delighted that Manchester City wanted my services. I’m happy that the two clubs could come to an agreement.

“They (Newcastle) have been great to me for so many years, and I thank them for that. But I just felt that this was an opportunity for me to come to a club that in my opinion are really going to be going places.

“I am even really excited to be going training on Monday, it’s a new chapter in my life and one I am looking forward to.

“The profile of the club has changed dramatically, and there are already some fantastic players here. It looks like some good players will come here in the future as well, and I am sure the fans must be on the edge of their seats to see who comes here.

“There is already the nucleus of a very good team here, and I hope I can add to that. I am just delighted that they have chosen me to strengthen their goalkeeping department as well.”

[Source: Manchester City’s official website]