Shaun Goater's agent has expressed surprise at the size of the fee Manchester City have agreed he can be sold for.

Manager Kevin Keegan revealed during the week that First Division Reading's offer, said to be in the region of ?500,000, had been accepted by the Premiership side and it was now down to the player to decide if he wanted to go.

Speaking yesterday Mark Georgevic said he thought the fee was on the high side, both in terms of the current financial climate and bearing in mind the player's age.

"It has been reported that the transfer fee is ?500,000," he said. "Clearly, I am not party to the discussions between the clubs in relation to the make-up of that fee, but certainly, in the current transfer market, Manchester City appear to have done exceptionally well in relation to what they have secured from Reading.

"It is a very full fee, bearing in mind the depression of the transfer market generally and also bearing in mind that Shaun is 33 - he will be 34 in February - and that he has only got one year on his contract.

"Manchester City certainly have succeeded in achieving a very substantial deal for themselves."

He went on: "Looking at the current market I think that is a very high fee for a player of Shaun's age.

"Clearly, Manchester City want to raise as much money as they can from the assets that they have.

"For all Shaun's service to the club and for what he has achieved, it's their prerogative to ask for a fee for his registration.

"That fee has to be borne in mind by any club that is prepared to acquire Shaun's services."