Keane staying put

Liverpool statement rejects claims from former player Lawrenson

By Richard Bailey   Last updated: 17th December 2008

Keane staying put

Keane: Benched against Hull

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Liverpool have denied that striker Robbie Keane will leave the club in the January transfer window.

Keane joined the Reds in the summer for £20.3million from Tottenham but has scored just four goals in all competitions since his arrival.

The striker's patience appears to be on the wane after a number of appearances that have ended with Keane being substituted just after the hour-mark, despite the absence of fellow forward Fernando Torres, who has a hamstring injury.

After an impressive display against PSV Eindhoven in the UEFA Champions League last week, Keane found himself on the bench for the 2-2 Premier League draw with Hull City on Saturday.

In spite of the fact that Liverpool were chasing a winner, manager Rafa Benitez opted to keep the 28-year-old on the bench for the entire game.

Private

Former Liverpool player turned pundit Mark Lawrenson has intensified the rumours that Keane will be leaving the club in the transfer window.

"I hate to name drop," Lawrenson told The Last Word on Today FM. "But I was having a drink with (Steven) Gerrard on Saturday and we talked about Keane.

"They share the same agent [Struan Marshall] and quite honestly he thinks something is going to happen with Keane in January. Sounds like he could be moved on."

However the club have hit back and released a statement denying that Keane was set to be sold.

"Mark Lawrenson's remarks are his interpretation of a private chat between the two of them," read the statement.

"They do not accurately reflect Steven's opinion of Robbie Keane and they certainly do not tally with Steven's recollection of the conversation itself."