Robbie Keane has signed for Liverpool, 14 years after turning down the team that he supported as a boy. The Republic of Ireland striker has signed a four-year deal, with his former club Tottenham Hotspur agreeing a fee of £19m, which could rise to £20.3m.
Keane's departure to Anfield comes after six years at White Hart Lane following his £7m transfer from Leeds in 2002, during which time he became the club captain - deputising for the long-term injured Ledley King - and last season won the Carling Cup. The latest move brings Keane's career transfer fees to £57m. The forward has scored 80 goals for Spurs in 158 league appearances, and, with Dimitar Berbatov, was last season part of one of the most prolific strike partnerships in the Premier League.
Spurs have expressed their disappointment at losing their captain and at the way the transfer was handled. "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," said the club's chairman, Daniel Levy.
"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."
However, Spurs have agreed not to pursue their official complaint to the Premier League regarding the transfer, and in particular comments made by the Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez, after Liverpool acknowledged that the comments were inappropriate and agreed to make a donation to the club's main charity, the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation.
Keane described his time at the Lane "the most enjoyable of my career to date". He added: "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.
"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."
