Robbie Keane set to exit Tottenham, says Harry Redknapp
Striker Robbie Keane is likely to leave Tottenham in January, his manager Harry Redknapp has admitted.
The Republic of Ireland international, 30, has started only two Premier League games this term and was recently linked with a move to Vancouver Whitecaps.
Redknapp claimed to know nothing of the Major League club's interest but revealed he had held talks with Keane.
"Whoever offers the biggest fee will, I suppose, be the answer in January," said Redknapp, ruling out a loan move.
After returning to White Hart Lane from Liverpool in February 2009, Keane found himself behind Peter Crouch, Roman Pavlyuchenko and Jermain Defoe in the attacking pecking order.
Keane signed for Spurs in 2002, making almost 200 appearances and scoring 80 goals, before joining Liverpool for about £20m in July 2008.
However, he went on to make only 29 appearances for the Anfield side and rejoined Spurs in February 2009 for £12m, taking his cumulative transfer fees to more than £70m.
But in February 2010 Keane went on loan at Celtic until the end of last season. His previous clubs include Wolves, Coventry, Inter Milan and Leeds.
"I think he'd like to move - he wants to play, you know?" added Redknapp. "He's not used to not playing. All his career, he's played and been a big player and he wants to play.
"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, meanwhile, has revealed the club will abandon their usual policy of allowing injury-prone central defender Ledley King to skip intensive training, and, instead, push the England international hard over the next two weeks.
King's potential surgeon in an operation - should one be needed if he aggravates the groin problem that has blighted his season so far - is unavailable between 23 December and 10 January. Therefore, Spurs want to establish now if surgery is required.
"We need a decision by the 23rd of this month," said Redknapp. The lady who would operate goes away between the 23rd and the 10th January.
"If he breaks down then he will have the op. He would be out for four or five weeks after the operation."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/t/tottenham_hotspur/9240069.stm
