Republic of Ireland captain Robbie Keane has signed a new five-year contract with Tottenham Hotspur that will keep him at the club until 2012.

The striker has enjoyed his best season to date with the club, scoring 22 goals and forging a formidable partnership with Bulgarian frontman Dmitar Berbatov.

In fact, the pair were so effective for Spurs that they were jointly awarded player of the month for April.

Keane moved to White Hart Lane in August 2002 for £7 million after spells with Leeds United, Inter Milan and Coventry.

Keane made his 200th apearance for the club against Manchester City on the last day of the season, after which Spurs finished fifth in the league.

In his time at White Hart Lane Keane has found the net 84 times and the 26-year-old believes the future is bright at the club.

"I have felt really settled and happy at Spurs and that is probably one of the reasons I have played the best football of my career here," said Keane. "It is an exciting time to be at the club and I am looking forward to even better seasons ahead."

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy welcomed the deal today, hailing Keane has "an influential part of our club for five years and this further commitment, on the part of both him and the club, is a recognition of that.

"He is an individual who is loyal and professional and we are delighted he will be with us long term," added Levy. "The key to retaining top players, who want to compete for the club at the highest level, is to agree long term contracts.

"We have now done so with several of our existing squad players, extending the contracts of players such as Aaron Lennon, Michael Dawson and Tom Huddlestone, as well as having contracted newer players on long contracts, such as Dimitar Berbatov and Didier Zokora."

Spurs also bagged one of the most sought after young talents in Britain last week when they completed the signing of left-back Gareth Bale from Southampton in a deal worth up to £10m, although the details of his contract have not been announced.