Villa complete signing of Given

Aston Villa have completed the signing of Manchester City goalkeeper Shay Given on a five-year deal and will unveil their new player on Tuesday.

Shay Given
GettyImagesShay Given had grown accustomed to life on the bench at City

Given had struggled to knock Joe Hart off his perch as first-choice goalkeeper at Eastlands and failed to make a single Premier League appearance last season. The 35-year-old Republic of Ireland international will be available for Thursday's friendly fixture against Walsall at the Banks's Stadium and for the club's participation in the Barclays Asia Trophy next week.

''Aston Villa is a huge football club and I'm really excited to be joining," Given said. "I'm looking forward to training and playing with the players here. They're a good bunch of lads, very talented and I know several of them already which will help.

"Everyone knows that I didn't play enough football last season, so I'm really pleased that I'll be able to put that right here. Hopefully, this move will get me back to where I was before in the Premier League, which is where every player wants to be playing.

"Obviously, I'm also excited to be working with Alex McLeish and it's going to be a fresh start for everybody at the club this season.

"It's also a new challenge and one I'm eager to embrace. My aim is to impress the Aston Villa supporters with my performances and I can't wait really to get started."

Villa manager Alex McLeish said: "Shay has come here probably with something of a point to prove and that won't do any harm at all. Everybody who has watched him perform over many years in the Premier League will know his pedigree, so we believe we have secured the services of one of the best goalkeepers in the business.

"He's a real competitor and a world-class keeper and I'm delighted he's the first signing I've made at Villa."

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5 year deal. EDIT: wow until hes 40.

thats a big time contract.

deezydeez wrote:5 year deal. EDIT: wow until hes 40.

thats a big time contract.

they made him offer he could not refuse 5 years.

The Most overrated keeper in history of the game

Should have never left Newcastle. His career is in shambles

Sepi wrote:The Most overrated keeper in history of the game

You forced me to do something i never wanted to do

Lex wrote:Should have never left Newcastle. His career is in shambles

Immaculate_Mole wrote:

Sepi wrote:The Most overrated keeper in history of the game

You forced me to do something i never wanted to do

Very good shot-stopper, but is woeful in protecting his box from crosses and distrubution is very very average.

He is a solid keeper, but it's laughable that for many years he was tauted as the best in the league

Sepi wrote:

Immaculate_Mole wrote:

Sepi wrote:The Most overrated keeper in history of the game

You forced me to do something i never wanted to do

Very good shot-stopper, but is woeful in protecting his box from crosses and distrubution is very very average.

He is a solid keeper, but it's laughable that for many years he was tauted as the best in the league

Because he was lol, his only weakness was his height but his distrubution was not at a Reina level but still above most of the GK's in the league and as for protecting box from crosses that was well overplayed aswell.

Leave him alone you bully

^
Don't worry Mole. He is poor man's Krul these days anyways

Best Goalie 2 years ago, deserves to be starting, mancini should have sold him.

He's a decent keeper, PL-wise.

Villa definitely need to keep on spending if they want to be competitive again.

villa have guzan, they should have spent on midfielders and forwards.

^ Guzan was on loan at Hull city(championship club) last season and they returned him because he was poor.

Given is a great goal keeper watch him shine at Villa.

About damn time, lol. I think he's still class, hopefully he shakes off the rust from not starting for a while and gets back to his best.

It'll be because of him if Villa finish 17th this season this still doesn't change the fact that they're managed by Alex McLeish.