Keane makes Reds move

Keane: Liverpool new boy

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Liverpool have announced the signing of Robbie Keane from Tottenham.

The 28-year-old was on Merseyside on Monday for a medical and to discuss personal terms after Liverpool agreed a fee which could rise to £20.3million for the Irishman.

Liverpool have quickly concluded the deal and Keane has signed a four-year deal at Anfield to end his six years at White Hart Lane.

Reds boss Rafa Benitez has been chasing Keane all summer as he sees him as the ideal partner for Fernando Torres in attack and the Republic of Ireland international will fill the void created by Peter Crouch's departure to Portsmouth.

Keane is Liverpool's fifth signing of the summer following the arrivals of Philipp Degen, Andrea Dossena, Diego Cavalieri and David Ngog.

Former Leeds and Coventry ace Keane could make his debut for his boyhood heroes in their pre-season friendly with Villarreal on Wednesday, a game that can be seen live on Sky Sports 1.

Liverpool's pursuit of Keane upset Spurs chairman Daniel Levy with the club reporting the Reds to the Premier League over their interest in the Irishman.

Spurs were unhappy with Benitez for publicly declaring his interest in Keane earlier this summer, believing it unsettled the player.

Complaint withdrawn

"I was incredibly disappointed when I first heard, not only that Liverpool had been working behind the scenes to bring Robbie to Anfield, but that Robbie himself wanted to go and he submitted a transfer request to this effect," Levy told the club's official website.

"I have already made my opinion clear on the nature of this transaction. I don't regard it as a transfer deal - that is something which happens between two clubs when they both agree to trade - this is very much an enforced sale, for which we have agreed a sum of £19m as compensation plus a potential further £1.3m in additional compensation."

Tottenham also revealed the official complaint was withdrawn after an apology and a donation to the club's main charity, the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation were made by Liverpool.

A club statement read: "Liverpool FC has also acknowledged that the way its website reported comments of its manager, which were widely covered by the media, was inappropriate and in light of that acknowledgement has apologised and agreed to make a donation to our club's main charity, the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation.

"Tottenham Hotspur has therefore agreed not to pursue its official complaint to the Premier League."

Thanks

"I would like to place on record my thanks to the board, players and fans of Tottenham for the past six years, which were the best and most enjoyable of my career to date," read the statement.

"I will never forget them. I would specifically like to thank chairman Daniel Levy for understanding, that, as a fan, joining Liverpool is a lifelong dream of mine and one I couldn't let pass me by.

"I hope one day the Spurs fans, who have been brilliant to me, can understand this too.

"I have only good things to say about my time at Tottenham and expect them to go from strength to strength under Juande Ramos and Daniel Levy."