Kinnear aims to secure Harper

Newcastle boss hoping to sort out goalkeeper's contract

Last updated: 11th December 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Kinnear aims to secure Harper

Harper: Six months left on contract

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Newcastle manager Joe Kinnear has outlined his intention to keep Steve Harper at the club.

Shay Given has been an ever-present in the Magpies side this term and there would appear to be no immediate prospect of Harper displacing him.

Harper has just six months remaining on his current contract and is free to speak to other clubs in January but Kinnear hopes to convince the goalkeeper that his future lies at St James' Park.

Kinnear feels Harper is one of the most talented shot-stoppers in the Premier League and could even challenge for a place in the England squad.

He admits it would be a major blow to lose the 33-year-old and is eager to resolve his contract situation quickly.

"Harps has a contract that needs to be sorted out," Kinnear told the Evening Chronicle.

"Steve would probably be playing somewhere else, and who is there to say he would not be the England goalkeeper?

In with a shout

"Shay's the Irish national goalkeeper, and Harps would certainly be in with a shout with the England setup.

"I'm obviously aware of that, but I wouldn't like to lose him, that's for sure."

Kinnear is keen to bolster his squad in the January transfer window but he concedes that he has no worries about the goalkeeping department.

He said: "That's probably the strongest position we've got at the club. They (Given and Harper) are both very talented goalkeepers.

"That's one position I can go to bed at night and not worry about, because we have got two world-class goalkeepers.

"I would love to keep it that way."