Newcastle assistant coach Chris Hughton insists that the decision to award Steve Harper a new three-year contract in no way suggests Shay Given will be leaving the club.
Harper recently put pen-to-paper on a new deal that will keep him at St James' Park until the summer of 2012.
The deal has sparked rumours that Newcastle are bowing to the pressure from Manchester City who have made clear their indication of prising Given from the club.
Hughton, though, says Harper's contract merely states that the Magpies are intent on keeping their key players at Tyneside.
"The only thing to read into it is that what we would like to do is keep the quality individuals here," he said.
"We have never seen Steve Harper as a No.2, we have seen him as a goalkeeper who is pushing for a No.1 spot.
"What he has had in front of him, unfortunately for him, is a top goalkeeper in Shay Given, who has served this club very, very well."
Asked about an approach by Manchester City for Given, Hughton said: "I am not aware of any decisions Man City may or may not have made.
"But what I do know is we have a very good goalkeeper in Shay Given who is training very well every day.
"If you look at his performances he is performing as well as ever and he is a goalkeeper we would like to keep here.
"As regards team selection, that is something the players will always know first."
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