Sitting it out: Liverpool's Irish forward
Robbie Keane (centre) takes his seat in the stand before the match
with Chelsea at Anfield.
Although Anfield sources said they would consider
selling the player if Spurs increased their offer considerably,
Rafael Benitez's confidence that Keane will remain a Liverpool
player after the 5pm transfer window closes this evening looks well
placed.
The Republic of Ireland international's future has been the
subject of intense speculation for weeks now. He played only eight
minutes of Liverpool's three key games last week and did not even
merit a place on the bench for last Monday's Mersey derby or
Sunday's 2-0 win over Chelsea.
Manchester City are also believed to be monitoring the situation
in the hope of tempting the boyhood Liverpool fan away from Anfield
just six months after he arrived.
However, any move appears unlikely, given the lack of time
available to Liverpool to bring in a replacement, and Benitez said
he expected to have Keane available for Wednesday's FA Cup replay
at Goodison Park. He said: "I think he will be here at the end of
the month, yes. I spoke with him about the game before, not about
his future, and he is OK."
Unlike last Monday's match, Keane attended Sunday's game,
politely applauding Fernando Torres's double salvo and leaving his
seat just before the final whistle.
He was joined in the stands by the club's co-owners George
Gillett and Tom Hicks, the first time the two Americans have come
face-to-face since August and their first trip to Anfield since
December 2007.
Both sat, accompanied by their families, in the directors' box,
separated by around a dozen seats. They will meet Benitez and the
club's chief executive Rick Parry this week and are believed to be
ready to offer the Spaniard a four-year deal worth around £20
million, complete with full control over the club's transfers.
Under the latest terms to be drawn up, Parry will be given a
brief more concerned with the club's commercial activity. Beating
Chelsea has not been Benitez's only significant victory this
week.
The former Valencia manager did not comment on his contract,
insisting he was focused solely on enjoying a win which reignites
Liverpool's title challenge.
He said: "It is always important to win, regardless of who is
sitting in the crowd. We deserved to win.
"I haven't seen the replay of the red card, but I am sure that
it was not a foul by Xabi Alonso, if that is what [the Chelsea
manager] Luiz Felipe Scolari is saying.
"Before, we were in a good position in the title race. Now we
are in a better position. But that can change almost every day, so
what you have to do is make sure that you always win."
