Given keen on Boro stay

Shay Given is keen on extending his loan stay at Middlesbrough until the end of the season, the Mirror understands.

The 37 year old move to Teeside a month ago, and has impressed with four clean sheets in seven Championship matches, including three in his last three games, where Aitor Karanka’s men have beaten Millwall, Burnley and Reading to move up to fifteenth place.

Premier League side Swansea City have been linked with a move for the former Newcastle United and Manchester City man, though with talk of a Republic of Ireland recall rife, a better chance of regular first team football may prove to be a more viable option.

He is due to return to Aston Villa after Boro’s New Years’ Day clash with Bolton Wanderers, but with a recall to first team action under Paul Lambert unlikely, an extended move could be wrapped up as soon as the transfer window reopens.