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.
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Tottenham also revealed the official complaint was withdrawn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."
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."
