Keane stuns Spurs with transfer demand: Liverpool set to offer Crouch and £5m for striker

Robbie Keane stunned Tottenham by telling them he wants to leave. Sportsmail can reveal that Republic of Ireland striker Keane delivered his shock transfer demand after learning Liverpool had lodged a player-plus-cash bid for him on Friday.

The 28-year-old came out of a meeting at White Hart Lane having left club officials in little doubt about his eagerness to play for his boyhood idols. Anfield manager Rafa Benitez sees Keane as the ideal strike partner for Euro 2008 match-winner Fernando Torres and is prepared to part with Peter Crouch and around £5million to make it happen.

As with his pursuit of Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Barry, though, Benitez is going to have to dig deeper after Tottenham rejected his initial offer and placed a £20m valuation on Keane.

Keane's desire to get away from Spurs is a bigger shock. Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard and long-serving centre back Jamie Carragher are both friends of the Irishman, who could be one of three strikers to leave Tottenham should the deal go through.

Spurs manager Juande Ramos knows Dimitar Berbatov is unsettled and he is also exploring ways of offloading Darren Bent. Apart from having to increase the cash adjustment, Benitez may also struggle to talk Crouch into being part of the package as the England striker still wishes to join Harry Redknapp at Portsmouth.

Villa confirmed that Barry can move to Anfield, provided Liverpool match their £18m price.

reyes

1 Jul 08, 11:51

i think leane will fail at liverpool if he goes there

dragg

2 Jul 08, 10:31

spurs must not sell him. he is the best player at white hart lane.