Transfer news: Shay Given willing to consider summer move away from Aston Villa

Shay Given admits he would be willing to leave his coaching duties at Aston Villa if offered a playing role elsewhere.

The veteran goalkeeper has been offered the opportunity to combine his role as back-up to Brad Guzan with a training ground post at Villa Park.

Given is, however, not prepared to hang up his gloves just yet and focus purely on events away from the field.

He acknowledges that he is unlikely to find the opportunities he craves at Villa, having fallen out of favour and taken in a loan spell at Middlesbrough in 2013/14, and has opened the door to any club willing to ‘take a punt’ on his services.
The 38-year-old, who still has two years to run on his contract at Villa, said in the Birmingham Mail: “If I am going to play, I have to move away from Villa Park.

“That’s something I have looked at, but it has to happen, I have been waiting for it to happen for two years now.

“There’s no use in me sitting here talking about it, someone has to make it happen.

“I just want to play football, but I haven’t played as much in the last two years. I don’t know the ins and outs of what has to happen now, I don’t know if Villa want a fee for me or if they’ll let me go, or if they will be asking for too much money.

“For me, it’s a case of getting the right club and the right move.

“I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Middlesbrough, I knew when I went there on loan that I was still able to play as I slotted straight back into things despite having not played for a long time.”

Given added: “I still want to play, I believe I still have a lot to offer as a player.

“I have only turned 38 but I see Mark Schwarzer playing in a Champions League semi-final at the age of 41, Brad Friedel is 43 and still playing, so I have a lot more to do before I think about coaching.

“I hope it can happen for me, I just need someone to have faith, to take a punt and bring me in, to get me playing again.”