Source: Telegraph
Steve Harper signs new Newcastle deal to pave way for Shay Given exit
It means that the Easington-born player has committed himself to the St James Park club until the summer of 2012 and paves the way for Shay Given to join Manchester City in a prospective £10 million deal this week.[LNB]Harper himself had been the subject of speculation with a possible move to Tottenham mooted before Harry Redknapp signed Chelsea reserve Carlo Cudicini on a free transfer.[LNB]Harper said: "As a North East lad Newcastle United has always been a big part of my life and I'm delighted that the contract has been sorted out.[LNB]"This will mean I have now been with Newcastle for 19 years which is more than half of my life so that shows how big a part of my life the club has been.[LNB]"Now that it is sorted I can continue to do what I have always done, which is work hard in training and push hard for regular first team football which is what I have always wanted in Newcastle United."[LNB]Harper joined Newcastle in July 1993 and has represented the club in the Champions League, Uefa Cup and a Wembley FA Cup final.[LNB]Harper is expected to replace Given in manager Joe Kinnear's team that faces City on Wednesday night at Eastlands.[LNB]Director of football Dennis Wise is to hold talks with City's executive chairman Garry Cook in an effort to finalise Given's transfer, when he will also make one last attempt to try to persuade Cook to release promising England Under-21 midfielder Michael Johnson.[LNB] [LNB]
