Keane is Finally A RED!
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http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_3879397,00.html
Liverpool have announced the signing of Robbie Keane from Tottenham.
The 28-year-old was on Merseyside on Monday for a medical and to discuss personal terms after Liverpool agreed a fee which could rise to £20.3million for the Irishman.
Liverpool have quickly concluded the deal and Keane has signed a four-year deal at Anfield to end his six years at White Hart Lane.
Reds boss Rafa Benitez has been chasing Keane all summer as he sees him as the ideal partner for Fernando Torres in attack and the Republic of Ireland international will fill the void created by Peter Crouch's departure to Portsmouth.
Keane is Liverpool's fifth signing of the summer following the arrivals of Philipp Degen, Andrea Dossena, Diego Cavalieri and David Ngog.
Former Leeds and Coventry ace Keane could make his debut for his boyhood heroes in their pre-season friendly with Villarreal on Wednesday, a game that can be seen live on Sky Sports 1.
Liverpool's pursuit of Keane upset Spurs chairman Daniel Levy with the club reporting the Reds to the Premier League over their interest in the Irishman.
Spurs were unhappy with Benitez for publicly declaring his interest in Keane earlier this summer, believing it unsettled the player.
Complaint withdrawn
Now the move has gone through Tottenham have announced they will not pursue their official complaint to the Premier League, but Levy did reveal Keane had handed in a transfer request in a bid to secure a move to Anfield."I was incredibly disappointed when I first heard, not only that Liverpool had been working behind the scenes to bring Robbie to Anfield, but that Robbie himself wanted to go and he submitted a transfer request to this effect," Levy told the club's official website.
"I have already made my opinion clear on the nature of this transaction. I don't regard it as a transfer deal - that is something which happens between two clubs when they both agree to trade - this is very much an enforced sale, for which we have agreed a sum of £19m as compensation plus a potential further £1.3m in additional compensation."
Tottenham also revealed the official complaint was withdrawn after an apology and a donation to the club's main charity, the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation were made by Liverpool.
A club statement read: "Liverpool FC has also acknowledged that the way its website reported comments of its manager, which were widely covered by the media, was inappropriate and in light of that acknowledgement has apologised and agreed to make a donation to our club's main charity, the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation.
"Tottenham Hotspur has therefore agreed not to pursue its official complaint to the Premier League."
Thanks
Keane also issued a statement, to express his thanks to Tottenham for his time at White Hart Lane."I would like to place on record my thanks to the board, players and fans of Tottenham for the past six years, which were the best and most enjoyable of my career to date," read the statement.
"I will never forget them. I would specifically like to thank chairman Daniel Levy for understanding, that, as a fan, joining Liverpool is a lifelong dream of mine and one I couldn't let pass me by.
"I hope one day the Spurs fans, who have been brilliant to me, can understand this too.
"I have only good things to say about my time at Tottenham and expect them to go from strength to strength under Juande Ramos and Daniel Levy."
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sian liao lah....
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i dunoe whether to say congrats or what.. 20.3m can get better strikers i feel.. but i dunoe.. see how lor..
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It's a fair Kop - Liverpool land £19million Keane and then say sorry to Spurs
Liverpool apologised to Tottenham on Monday night and made a charitable donation to their Barclays Premier League rivals as Robbie Keane's £19million move to Anfield reached a bizarre conclusion.
In return, Spurs dropped an official complaint accusing Liverpool of tapping up Keane before the Republic of Ireland striker demanded a move
He added: 'In light of that acknowledgement they have apologised and agreed to make a donation to our club's main charity, the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation. Tottenham has therefore agreed not to pursue its official complaint to the Premier League.'
Keane has signed a four-year deal worth £80,000-a-week with the club he supported as a boy and could make his debut in Wednesday night's friendly against Villarreal after flying to Spain with the rest of Benitez's squad on Tuesday.
On Monday night, Keane attempted to defuse the row by thanking the Tottenham board, players and fans for his six years at White Hart Lane.
He said: 'I would specifically like to thank Daniel Levy for understanding that, as a fan, joining Liverpool is a lifelong dream of mine and one I couldn't let pass me by. I hope one day the Spurs fans, who have been brilliant to me, can understand this, too.'
In partnering the Irishman with Fernando Torres, Benitez has sent out a clear message that he finally intends to launch a serious assault on the League title - last won under Kenny Dalglish back in 1990 - having been criticised for placing too much emphasis on the Champions League.
The Spaniard must now find a way of financing an £18m bid for Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Barry and could even listen to offers for Dirk Kuyt.
Tottenham fans face more disappointment, with Dimitar Berbatov's transfer to Manchester United nearing completion. He cut a moody figure on the Spurs bench on Monday night, not getting changed despite being named as a substitute in the friendly against Norwich.
However, David Bentley's £17m move from Blackburn to Spurs will go through this week and coach Juande Ramos can now use the Keane cash to pursue Russian targets Andrei Arshavin and Roman Pavlyuchenko, plus Sevilla's Diego Capel.
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I am rather surprised that ah ben would spend so much on Keane... Keane is a good player but considering his age at 28, and his style of playing... quite similar to Rooney i feel, lots of running kind... when he reach 30 in 2 yrs time, he will start to lose some of that speed that have made him such a good player...
I guess ah ben is really serious this time to go for the Premier League title...
Watch keane in action here...
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donch pray pray, last time buy him wolves in CM when he's a young player, can win premier league ok.
but honestly benitez has to get barry too.
costs alot but for proven premier league players, its a sacrifice to take. the problem with liverpool is that benitez gets all these foreigners who take a season or 2 to adapt... sometimes never at all.
best if u can get a team that specialises in english football, then can swap another 3-4 players who can play UCL football
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gratz
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keane for crouch
good deal sia
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i always like keane when he was at tottemham. dun agree he plays like rooney though. keane is more like a poacher and flair player.
although at 28 he is abit old, he is proven in the Bpl. How many strikers you see 'waste' their 1st season trying to adapt?
and keane is elgible for the 6+5 rule oso right?
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i think its a good buy even though it costs 20m. he is consistent in providing goals and scoring as well. 20m might not be worth it to spend on a striker from another league who might not adapt as well if pool are to seriously contend for the title.
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lol abit weird to see him in liverpool jersey
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He have all the look of kengster written all over him.
It seems to be me that the "Leeds" boys have been a flop after they are dismantled.
All of them are not doing well in rest of the EPL team.
For Keane, I am not sure whether he is worth the money, considering Liverpool is now out of $$$.
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Just watch me and Torres score goals galore, says Liverpool's new No 7 Keane after £20m Spurs switch
ROBBIE KEANE has revealed his desire to become the latest hero to wear Liverpool's famous No7 shirt.
The striker completed his £20million move to Anfield last night and has been handed the same number worn by Kop legends Kevin Keegan and Kenny Daglish.
And Keane, 28, admits he is desperate to follow in their footsteps by making a name for himself on Merseyside.
He said: "As a Liverpool fan the No7 jersey is massive. It is a fantastic opportunity for me that obviously I'm relishing.
"The people who have worn the No7 here, like Kevin Keegan and Kenny Dalglish – if I do half the job they did at Liverpool I will be happy."
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how come no one said kewell wore 7 too
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kewell wasn't bad at liverpool jus unlucky with injuries.
why all the Ks where the no 7 one?
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Originally posted by kopiosatu:
how come no one said kewell wore 7 too
Cos he is undeserving to be called a Kop legend... Perhaps Gerrard if he continue to stay at Pool will one day be seen as a Kop legend too when he retires... -
very good striker..
but 20.3m is a bit steep..
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Originally posted by monoslayer:
very good striker..
but 20.3m is a bit steep..
damn steep is the right word.
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i think it is a good buy considering the 19mil was in exchange of sales of players which the squad doesnt need most of the time, such as, crouch, carson and the guthrie or somthing.
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i think benitez is starting to realise that to win the EPL, u need proven EPL players.
but at a price.
like i said, it'll be good to have a first 11 for EPL and 3-4 players that u can swap for UCL
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eh last night on ESPN, they said Arbeloa might be leaving for personal reasons
if he goes... BUY BARRY!!!!!!!!
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at this day 20m is not alot of money.. consider that he might be the best available striker who can partner Torres upfront and lessen the burden on Gerrard, as with all transfer, but its left to be seen whether its a good buy when a new players join a new club with a huge price tag on them..