NEWCASTLE officials expect Manchester City to make an £8m bid for Shay Given before the end of the week, and while manager Joe Kinnear has repeatedly insisted that the Ireland international will not be sold, the 32-year-old is unlikely to remain at St James’ Park this month.

Tottenham’s interest in Steve Harper has focused minds on Tyneside, with Newcastle officials claiming they are unwilling to sell the veteran despite his current contract being due to expire at the end of the season.

Their refusal to part with Harper, who would be free to leave for nothing in June, reflects a belief that City will table a substantial offer for Given before the transfer window closes in 13 days time.

And with Joe Kinnear desperately needing funds to strengthen a Magpies squad that has dropped to within two points of the foot of the Premier League table, owner Mike Ashley is poised to end Given’s ten-and-a-half year association with the club.

The Irishman outlined his dissatisfaction with life at St James’ at the end of last month, with his lawyer, Michael Kennedy, releasing a statement that claimed Given was “despondent” at recent events.

His mood is unlikely to have lightened in the intervening period, and despite the strength of his affection for the Magpies, he would be interested in a move to the City of Manchester Stadium.

K i n n e a r would be much less positive, but with Ashley privately insisting that every player has their price, he may be unable to prevent the loss of arguably his most important player.

Newcastle’s reluctance to sell Harper to Spurs suggests the Magpies may already be planning for life without Given.

Harry Redknapp is ready to make a £1m offer for the 33-year-old shot-stopper, but has been warned that his bid will not be accepted at the moment.

That may change if Given is to remain a Newcastle player beyond the end of the month, but with Spurs f i r s t - c h o i c e H e u r e l h o Gomes becoming more of a liability by the match, Redknapp is likely to look elsewhere if the Magpies do not change their stance this week.

While Harper is going nowhere at the moment, the Magpies had hoped to have sold Geremi to Besiktas before the weekend.

The Cameroon international has been in talks with the Turkish club over a £1.5m move, but discussions have broken down over Besiktas’ refusal to match Geremi’s current wages.

The midfielder is understood to earn £56,000-a-week at Newcastle, and Besiktas had been looking for the Magpies to pay a proportion of that figure over the course of the next two years.

Newcastle have refused, and Geremi is reluctant to take a hefty pay cut when he can remain at St James’ and see out the final year of his current deal.

“I have been linked with a few clubs, but I would say my future is here,” said Geremi. “I want to play for Newcastle. I said when I signed (in 2007) that I wanted to complete my three years. When you are in football you know what you want.

“I have no intention to move – I love the Premier League – but you can never say never. If the club say they don’t want me, then I would have to think about my future.”

Peter Lovenkrands’ future will become clearer after he appears in a behind-closeddoors practice match against Carlisle this afternoon.

Joey Barton will continue to build up his fitness in the game, with Newcastle also fielding three trialists – Hungarian Under-19 international striker Andras Gosztonyi, and Norwegian youngsters Per Egil Flo, a left-back, and Even Hovland, a centre-half.

Meanwhile, Newcastle are understood to have offered former Nottingham Forest manager Colin Calderwood a position on their coaching staff.

Calderwood, who was sacked from his former position at the City Ground on Boxing Day, will work alongside assistant manager Chris Hughton and Academy boss Richard Money.

■ Given and Damien Duff have both been named in the Republic of Ireland squad for a World Cup qualifier against Georgia on February 11.