Republic of Ireland captain Robbie Keane will be allowed to leave Tottenham Hotspur in the January transfer window with manager Harry Redknapp confirming the striker is likely to leave the London club.
Keane’s White Hart Lane future has been in doubt for almost a year, with the 30-year-old having been loaned out to Celtic for the second half of last season.
The Tallaght native has started only twice this term for Spurs, with Peter Crouch, Roman Pavyluchenko and the fit-again Jermain Defoe all ahead of him in the pecking order.
It has been more than a month since Keane’s last involvement with the first team and he has been linked recently with moves to Aston Villa and Major League Soccer’s newly re-formed Vancouver Whitecaps.
Confirming he had held talks with the player, Redknapp said: “I think he’d like to move he wants to play, you know.
“He’s not used to not playing. All his career, he’s played and been a big player and he wants to play. He could sit here and take his wages, but that’s not him.
“He wants to play football. He trains hard, works hard every day, he’s shown a great attitude. And probably the hardest decision I had to make was last week: I couldn’t get him on the bench.
“It wasn’t easy when you respect somebody and what a good player he is or has been. It was hard, because he’s still a good player.”
Redknapp will not consider another loan for Keane when the January transfer window re-opens, insisting any move would need to be permanent.
“Whoever offers the biggest fee will, I suppose, be the answer in January,” said Redknapp, who added he knew nothing of the Whitecaps’ interest.