STEVE COPPELL last night moved to dispel the fears of Manchester City's fans over the future of midfield maestro Georgi Kinkladze.

Coppell, installed as the new City boss on a three year contract yesterday, is aware of constant speculation regarding the Georgian international following last season's relegation from the Premiership and this term's sorry start.

Maine Road chairman Francis Lee has dismissed a stream of reports linking Kinkladze to Liverpool, Arsenal, Celtic and Barcelona, insisting the 23 year old is happy to honour a contract that still has two years to run.

But the City faithful were worried a new manager would look to cash in on the club's most prized asset to generate much needed funds for team rebuilding.

However, Coppell, said last night: "I think he's a player every club in the first division would love to have and also a great many in the Premiership. I'm told he is happy here and that's something I was delighted to hear.

Coppell revealed he is looking to form a team that will enable City to harness Kinkladze's awesome talent in the rough and tumble of the first division.

He added: "I won't say I will build a team around Georgi. I want to see us have a more even attack. He's a brilliant talent but sometimes that can work against him as other teams look at him and think if they can stop Kinkladze, they will stop Manchester City.

"That's why it's important to get more balance in our attack to help Georgi cope with that. At present it's said he gets bullied out of games. But that's a responsibility he must take as all top players get kicked."

Coppell becomes City's eighth manager in 10 years and their 16th since the late Joe Mercer departed from Maine Road in 1971. Coppell's assistant will be a former international colleague, Phil Neal, who resigned as the manager of third division Cardiff City yesterday morning.