Tottenham agree £7m Keane deal
This article is more than 21 years oldJon Brodkin
Sat 31 Aug 2002 21.51 BST
Robbie Keane is poised to move from Leeds to Tottenham after the clubs settled on a £7m fee yesterday. The agreement was the pick of activity on the final full day of transfers before the window closes this afternoon.
Keane was last night discussing personal terms, with Spurs believed to be offering around £25,000 a week. Assuming the move goes through, the 22-year-old will end Glenn Hoddle's protracted search for a striker.
Keane's desire to leave Elland Road follows his frustration at failing to earn a starting place under Terry Venables. Leeds agreed to sell the Irishman for £6m less than he cost them from Internazionale and £2m less than Sunderland were willing to spend on the player, who turned down a move to the Stadium of Light.
Hoddle was desperate for the deal to go through after spending weeks pursuing a forward. He had a faxed offer for Fernando Morientes rejected by Real Madrid this week and Bolton's manager Sam Allardyce claimed yesterday that Spurs had made a "laughable" offer for Michael Ricketts on Thursday night.
Hoddle was quoted a month ago as saying he was not interested in Keane, explaining: "I have a list of players I want and Keane is not on it." But the former England coach has apparently changed his mind.
Keane scored for Leeds against Emirates Marketing Project on the opening day of the season after coming on as a substitute and Venables yesterday expressed regret at his request to leave with Robbie Fowler three to four weeks from returning after hip surgery.
"[Keane] pressed home that he was frustrated after the first two games that he didn't start," Venables said, "but I am disappointed, there's no doubt about that. He is a good goalscorer, very lively, and had a good World Cup. I didn't want to lose him because of that."
While Spurs were trying to finalise the Keane move they offloaded Oyvind Leonhardsen to Aston Villa on a free transfer. The midfielder has signed a one-year contract with the option of a further 12 months.
Robbie Keane joins Spurs
Keane completes Spurs switch |
The Republic of Ireland international has signed an initial four-year contract with an option for a further two taking the deal up to £7m.
Hoddle had been trying to sign a striker before Saturday's transfer window closed and, after been linked with a host of names his summer, the Spurs manager finally got his man.
Keane had vowed to fight for his first-team place under new Leeds boss Terry Venables during the club's pre-season tour of China.
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But the forward had a change of heart when he found himself on the substitutes' bench for Leeds' first two games - and after talking with Hoddle about his plans for the club.
"I know I said I didn't really want to leave Leeds but when I came here to talk to Glenn his long-term plans appealed to me and that is why I am now a Tottenham player," said Keane.
"Glenn wants to take the club a long way and hopefully I can help.
"It was frustrating at Leeds. You want to play football and it would have been nice to play for them.
"But it was not to be and I am looking forward to playing for Spurs instead.
"This is a big club and Glenn has great ambitions.
"I am a striker so hopefully I can bring goals to the club, although I also believe I can make goals."
Keane was paraded to the Spurs fans before the start of Saturday's Premiership home game with Southampton although he is not eligible to play.
The signing will increase competition for places up front, where he will be challenging Teddy Sheringham, Les Ferdinand, Steffen Iversen and Sergei Rebrov for a place in the team.
Keane had a good World Cup this summer, scoring important goals for Ireland against Germany and Spain.
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