Shay Given: After more than a decade at Newcastle, during which time he has played more than 350 games, the goalkeeper looks set to complete a €10 million move to Manchester City. Few will blame him for finally tiring of the St James' Park circus.

Dean Kiely

Arrived at West Brom a year ago but has since being displaced from the first team by the arrival of Scott Carson during the summer after featuring just once. Given his age, he may seek one last shot at regular action. Said to be of interest to a number of Championship sides.

Paul McShane

Recalled from a successful loan spell at Hull City, the defender went straight into the Sunderland team against Aston Villa. Was blamed for the visitors’ winner and missed Saturday’s meeting with Blackburn due to being cup-tied.

Steve Finnan

With Espanyol keen to cut their losses on the former Liverpool full-back who has been plagued by injury since moving to Spain in August, Hull, Tottenham and Newcastle led the chase for the Irish international. Spurs only wanted a loan deal which ruled them out while the player failed a medical at Hull and Newcastle have since looked to France for a right back, leaving his future very much up in the air.

Richard Dunne

A regular winner of City’s player of the year award in recent seasons, speculation has suddenly developed around the Dubliner’s future at the club because of a dip in form and talk of high-priced replacements. Newcastle want him and he might just end up being part of the Shay Given deal.

Kevin Kilbane

Moved to Hull in an attempt to secure regular first-team football after slipping down the pecking order at Wigan. His versatility is highly prized by Phil Brown who had also been anxious to add top-flight experience to his squad.

Aiden McGeady

Disciplinary problems have dented his relationship with Gordon Strachan and while his decision not to challenge a fine imposed for the dressingroom row he had with the manager has helped patch things up, their truce is said to be an uneasy one and he could still head south in the final flurry on transfer activity.

Liam Miller

Having slipped below Roy Keane’s radar this season, the Corkman’s prospects didn’t appear to improve much when Ricky Sbragia took charge and he was allowed to leave for QPR who are said to have signed him on the recommendation of Giovanni Trapattoni. Has yet to make his debut for the Londoners.

Stephen Hunt

Has made no secret of his desire to make a swift return to the English top flight and has a clause allowing him to leave for around €5.3 million. Spurs, Wigan and Everton are all said to be interested.

Caleb Folan

After a couple of false starts, the big striker got his international career started under Giovanni Trapattoni which may have the effect of hastening his departure from Hull. Has started just one game since scoring the winner on the opening day of the season and QPR are reported to have targeted him.

Kevin Doyle

Also believed to have an escape clause with the required trigger likely to be something approaching twice the €5.3 million needed to prise Hunt away. Spurs and Villa have been the clubs most regularly linked with the striker.

Robbie Keane

Things have gone bad to worse for the Irish captain at Liverpool with the Dubliner unable even to make the bench for Sunday’s FA Cup game against Everton. Has been dignified about his problems at the club to date but apparently didn’t attend the derby game prompting a wave of speculation that his relationship with the manager has broken down. Harry Redknapp said yesterday that he’d like to bring him back to White Hart Lane.

A handful of more peripheral Irish players have been on the move (or talking about it) too with Willo Flood either about to make his loan spell at Dundee United permanent or, perhaps, make a switch to Celtic and Darren Potter having gone from Wolves to Sheffield Wednesday on loan.

– Emmet Malone