Premier League - Two set to leave City; Given on hold

Eurosport - Sun, 01 Feb 20:22:00 2009

Everton are poised to add Manchester City striker Jo to their squad before Monday's transfer deadline but Newcastle boss Joe Kinnear has revealed the club are yet to receive an "official offer" for Shay Given from the Eastlands club.

FOOTBALL Joao Alves Jo Manchester City 2009 - 0

City and Everton are understood to be in talks over a proposed loan transfer which would see 21-year-old Jo move to Goodison Park for the rest of the season.

Brazilian striker Jo joined City in the summer from CSKA Moscow but has struggled to find form for Mark Hughes' team.

The former Corinthians frontman had been a huge success in Russian football and City paid around £19 million to bring him to Eastlands.

At the time that was a club-record fee, since surpassed by the £32.5m City spent on Robinho, however Jo has only scored three times, and two of those came in the UEFA Cup against Omonia Nicosia.

Everton urgently need strengthening in attack, having recently had to rely on midfielder Tim Cahill playing out of position as a central striker due to an injury crisis.

Frontmen Ayegbeni Yakubu and Louis Saha are among the players who manager David Moyes has been forced to cope without recently, and the proposed move could benefit both Everton and City if Jo sees regular action.

Jo's most recent appearance for City came in the FA Cup defeat to Nottingham Forest on January 3.

Given has reportedly been undergoing a medical in Manchester, while Magpies team-mate Charles N'Zogbia has been linked with Wigan.

But Kinnear says he is not totally confident of deals being struck because neither club has put money on the table so far.

"There's haggling going on at the moment. We're still waiting to hear the fee," the Magpies manager told Sky Sports.

"We haven't received an official offer for Shay (Given) and we're still waiting for Charles (N'Zogbia).

"The chairman is speaking to their representatives, so hopefully something can be done so that we can move on and get two more decent players into the club.

"I'm confident that we'll get those. But I'm not sure about the outgoing deals at the moment."

Ryan Taylor is due to join Newcastle, but his transfer from Wigan will not be finalised until N'Zogbia seals his switch to the JJB Stadium.

And Sunderland manager Ricky Sbragia has revealed he is close to signing Tal Ben Haim from Manchester City.

Speaking after his side's 1-1 draw at Newcastle, Sbragia denied he was poised to sign Darren Bent from Tottenham, but said: "The one we've done is Tal Ben Haim. I think that's going to be done.

"We need a defender and he's a good defender. I've worked with him previously and I know what I'm getting."

Sporting Life / Eurosport

Comment 1 - 5 of 25

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  1. he just need more playing time that's all,but he is good and still young.

    From madelphine, on Sun 1 Feb 3:24PM
  2. I think he will do better at Goodison park when he is given more playing time.

    From madelphine, on Sun 1 Feb 3:22PM
  3. I thought Jo would be amazing, he is just disappointing. Calling him Jo-ke is harsh, but there is no passion. If he was good enough, he would have been playing.

    From ajvillaboy, on Sun 1 Feb 3:12PM
  4. jos w'''

    From john, on Sun 1 Feb 3:04PM
  5. Jo isn't a flop, he just hasn't been given any playing time!!!!!

    From Omar F, on Sun 1 Feb 2:51PM
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