Liverpool sign £20 million Keano
July 29, 2008
Republic of Ireland striker Robbie Keane has joined his boyhood idols Liverpool for a fee that could climb as high as £20 million, depending on appearances.
28 year-old Keane had his medical at Anfield this weekend and penned a four-year contract, which should earn him £80,000 per week.
The actual fee is reported to be £19 million, with a further £1.3 million over the next few years.
Tottenham had originally reported Liverpool for an illegal approach to Keane, but have decided to drop that claim following the transfer of the Irishman. Also Liverpool have apologised for their approach, which Spurs have posted on their website:
Liverpool FC have acknowledged that the way its website reported comments of its manager, which were widely covered by the media, was inappropriate.
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 Hotspur has therefore agreed not to pursue its official complaint to the Premier League.
Liverpool should mark the end in an extraordinary journey for the great traveller, Robbie Keane, who has played for Wolves, Coventry, Inter Milan, Leeds United and Tottenham. He has always commanded a high transfer fee, and has scored goals wherever he has played.
Keane was Liverpool’s top target this summer to replace Peter Crouch, who went to Pompey.
Keane spoke of his thanks to Tottenham for his time at the club:
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 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.
Liverpool have now splashed out nearly £32 million this summer, with Keane being the most expensive and highest profile signing so far.
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