SOCCER:ROBBIE KEANE will be officially unveiled as a West Ham United player today after he completed what will initially be a loan move to the Upton Park outfit. The Irishman passed a medical with the club yesterday and watched Avram Grant's side come from behind to beat Nottingham Forest 3-2 in the FA Cup with another on-loan striker, Victor Obinna, scoring a hat-trick.
The terms of the deal appear to be much as Tottenham had demanded with €1.2 million to be paid now with around €6 million more if, as expected, the move is made permanent in the summer.
“We’re delighted to sign a world-class striker,” said West Ham chairman David Gold, who refused an improved offer for Scott Parker. “Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy drives a hard bargain but we’ve got our man.”
Gold described the club’s remaining 14 league games this season as the most important in the club’s history and there will be pressure on Keane to deliver given the faith being placed in him.
The Dubliner expressed confidence that the team can get themselves out of trouble over the remainder of the season and satisfaction that he will soon be playing first team football again.
“The move feels right,” he said. “It’s a fantastic club with a great tradition. At the moment we’re not in the best position that we would like to be but I’m here to help the squad. I’m sure with the players we’ve got here we can get into that position. We can stay in the Premier League. Look how close it is – there are six or seven teams down there. If you get a couple of results you move fairly swiftly up that table.
“Obviously it’s been frustrating for me like it would for any player. You just want to be playing. I don’t like to be paid to sit on the bench. I like to play and hopefully I will get plenty of opportunities here to help this club move forward.”
Stephen Ireland’s move to Newcastle was last night expected to be completed today with officials at St James’ Park expressing confidence that the move was on track after the player was reported to have undergone a medical.
Aston Villa are anxious to move the 24-year-old on as they look to sign Michael Bradley on loan from Borussia Monchengladbach and the American midfielder also completed his medical yesterday.
Stoke City remain keen to sell Glenn Whelan before tonight’s deadline with Wolves still viewed as a possible destination for the midfielder who featured in the second half of yesterday’s cup game between the two sides.
Stephen Hunt limped out of the tie, which Stoke won, after less than a quarter of an hour with a suspected calf strain and he is now a doubt for next week’s meeting with Wales in Dublin.
Sean St Ledger is reported to have become a target for Ipswich Town where Paul Jewell is anxious to strengthen his squad as the club seeks to avoid relegation from the Championship.
The futures of several Irish players already at the club are in doubt, however, after it emerged that 22 senior squad members will be out of contract at the end of the season. Brian Murphy, Colin Healy, Damien Delaney, Alan Quinn and promising young striker Ronan Murray are amongst those affected.
