Houllier can end Given's City hell

London: Gerard Houllier wants Manchester City goalkeeper Shay Given to provide the backbone of his Aston Villa revolution.

Houllier could be the busiest Premier League manager in the January transfer window as he seeks to rip up the team he inherited from Martin O'Neill and bring in his own players.

And he aims to start right at the back, with neither 39-year-old keeper Brad Friedel nor his deputy, Brad Guzan, seen as featuring in the long term.

His move for Given — with Friedel offered in part-exchange — will be the first test of the window for City boss Roberto Mancini who has a number of unsettled players, including Wayne Bridge, Emmanuel Adebayor and Shaun Wright-Phillips who want to go.

Houllier is prepared to see at least six O'Neill regulars leave, with Steve Sidwell's switch to West Ham already planned, and John Carew, Richard Dunne and Stephen Ireland all eager to get away.

He is also fighting Valencia to sign £5 million French defender Adil Rami from Lille.

Given, 34, who is also attracting interest from Roma, is impatient after being usurped by Joe Hart but Villa will have to make him their highest earner to match his £100,000-a-week wages at City.

Friedel could be the key to any deal. He has not been offered a new contract by Villa but City would allow him to start coaching as well as playing.

Mancini said Given had not approached him about leaving in January,but the Irishman is known to be unhappy about not playing one Premier League game.

The City boss has been affected by sniping from his squad and even players such as Adam Johnson and Joleon Lescott have complained about a lack of action.

Lescott is competing with Jerome Boateng to replace suspended Kolo Toure at Newcastle on Sunday.