Guzan Ponders New Villa Contract

Alex McLeish has confirmed that keeper Brad Guzan is pondering the offer of a new contract to stay at Aston Villa beyond this season. The Villa chief is looking to keep the 27-year-old American shot-stopper, who has been at the club for the past four years, at Villa Park when his current contract expires in the summer. And, while a deal for Guzan is now on the table, McLeish is well aware that the player might feel his future lies elsewhere given that he has been restricted to just eight first team appearances for Villa due to being behind Brad Friedel and then his replacement Shay Given in the pecking order. McLeish, who was impressed by Guzan's performances over the turn of the year when he stepped in to deputise for the injured Given, insists he will give him plenty of time to make a decision. He told Skysports: "We will give Brad time. It depends on how long though. We have certainly made the offer and we respect that Brad needs time to mull it over. "I understand the dilemma he is facing, yes, but at the same time it is not like he is second in command to Joe Hart who is only 24. "Shay is 35 now and, when Brad has come in, he has proved himself to be a Premier League keeper. Now we know he is Premier League class. "Brad probably realises that if Shay has a niggle or a problem, or we are going to do anything in the cup competitions, we are going to put him in."

Aston Villa Sign Shay Given

Aston Villa handed 35-year-old Shay Given a five-year contract — weeks after letting Brad Friedel go partly because they were concerned he was approaching his 40th birthday.New Villa manager Alex McLeish finally completed his first major signing to bring the Republic of Ireland international from Manchester City in a £3.5million deal.McLeish is convinced his new signing has years ahead of him as his No 1 keeper.
‘The quality of the player is not in doubt,’ said McLeish. ‘He lost his place last season because of the emergence of Joe Hart, rather than loss of form.‘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.’Given has taken a 25 per cent pay cut from the £80,000-a-week he earned at Eastlands in exchange for the longer deal.He said: ‘Aston Villa is a huge club and I’m really excited to be joining. 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. It’s also a new challenge and one I’m eager to embrace.’