Shaun Goater is facing two major challenges ahead of the new English season -- getting fit after a knee operation and proving to his manager he is worthy of a bigger pay increase than the one being offered.

The Bermudian striker, whose goals in the last two seasons helped guide Manchester City to successive promotions, is apparently not happy with a new contract being offered by the club. According to sources close to the player, the "terms were nowhere near what he was expecting''.

Goater has two years remaining on his contract and the club were offering to replace it with a new three-year deal, though apparently not with the type of pay hike he had hoped for as a Premier League player. He has turned down the club's initial new contract offer and talks are continuing.

Goater declined to comment when contacted yesterday but his agent, Mark Georgevic, confirmed that Goater had turned down the first offer made by the club.

"I'm just trying to get myself fit and get back out there and start scoring a few goals,'' said the player, whose main concern now is recovering from the recent surgery.

At the current prices being paid for strikers, Goater has proved to be a bargain after he joined City from Bristol City two years ago for just 400,000. In two full seasons he has notched 50 goals to guide the club back into the Premiership.

The knee injury, which worsened in a friendly match against Linfield in Ireland, has set back Goater's build-up to his first season in England's top division. He initially damaged the cartilage in the last game of last season against Blackburn Rovers when City clinched promotion.

"I injured it in the first half of the Blackburn match but obviously was able to carry on and went to see him (club doctor) about a week later before I was going on holiday because I wanted to know if it was okay,'' Goater explained.

"He checked it out and said to just carry on doing some weights. I also got it looked at at home by a physio (Shirlene Dill) and she said the same thing, just continue doing weights.'' Goater had a scan before going to Belfast with the club and it showed a slight tear, but the specialist cleared him to travel.

"He said it was so fine a tear that you could get through three-quarters of the season, then get it done (operation) or it could go in the first game, it was that kind of tear,'' said Goater.

Now, with the operation coming in pre-season, Goater expects to miss the first three games of the season as he sets his sights on being fit for the trip to Leeds on Tuesday, September 5.

"From that point of view I'm glad (it has happened now) because I wouldn't have wanted to start the season, get myself going and then end up with an operation. If all goes well I hope to be back somewhere between three and five weeks.

"Before we play Leeds I'll be looking to try to get into the travelling squad.

"Each day it has got better and the bending of it is improving every day. I'm doing light weights and today I was on the bike. There is still some fluid around it and some swelling.'' When he returns from the injury Goater will face the task of reclaiming his spot in the team. "Whether I was fit from the start or not, that was the attitude that I would have had, to earn my spot and keep it,'' said the 30-year-old.