Kinnear slams Man City's "derisory" offer for Given

Newcastle manager Joe Kinnear has slammed Manchester City's pursuit of Shay Given claiming their offer for the goalkeeper is "derisory" and "an insult" but the player is determined to move on.

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Shay Given: Off to Manchester

City have bid £5m for the Ireland international with Given unhappy with the club's direction. It now looks likely that he will submit an official transfer request and that may trigger a move.

Kinnear claims City are refusing to offer any more cash for a player considered to be one of the most consistent performers in the Premier League.

Newspaper stories over the past week claimed a £10m move was all but sealed. Magpies' reserve goalkeeper Steve Harper signed a contract extension and after Given was left out of the midweek trip to Eastlands the move seemed to be on. Those reports now appear to be wide of the mark.

"We have had approaches for Shay - serious approaches from Man City," Kinnear told the Newcastle Evening Chronicle. "Irrespective of all the stories, they've offered £5m and not a penny more.

"We think it's an insult to offer that for the best keeper in the Premier League. It's a derisory offer. But Shay has made it clear he wants to leave. I wasn't involved too much with the meeting between the owner (Mike Ashley), Shay and his agent when they tried to thrash it out.

"But as far as I know, the owner and the managing director (Derek Llambias) were unhappy they've only been offered £5m.

"That's where we stand. I don't want to lose him - I'm fighting a relegation battle.''

The Magpies are understood to be interested in a player-plus-cash deal for Given and that could solve the impasse.

One player potentially coming in is Toulouse right-back Albin Ebondo, with Kinnear claiming: "We're still tied up in negotiations.

"The original price was £2.5m but (Toulouse) moved the goalposts and it's now £3m. We are still out in France negotiating. It's been two weeks now, so we have to wait and see.''