Robbie Keane Bio

Keane's multi-club career appeared to have finally found a home at Spurs when he signed a 5-year contract extension to stay until 2012, but that was before boy-hood club Liverpool came calling.

In the summer of 2008 the Irish striker joined the Reds for a fee of £20.3million.

At Tottenham the vice-captain has fought off a few challengers in his time at the club to be a first-choice striker and his creative skill helped him to become a crowd favourite - breaking the magical 20 goal season barrier in his last two seasons at the club.

Keane started his career as teenage prodigy with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

It wasn't long before the Premiership scouts were clambering for his signature but the Molineux club held out for three years before they were forced to bow to Coventry City.

The teenage Keane had scored 24 goals in only 67 League starts. He joined the Sky Blues in August 1999 for £6million.

His career at Coventry got off to a blistering start as he scored twice on his debut to seal a 2-0 win at home to Derby County.

Coming the end of the 1999/2000 season, the bigger clubs were still on the trail of the Republic of Ireland international but it was a shock when Inter Milan signed him for £13million.

But all did not go well in Serie A as Keane slipped down the pecking order.

Leeds United offered him an escape route and he signed on loan for the West Yorkshire club for the 2000/01 season and made the £12million move permanent at the end of the campaign.

However, things did not go as well once he was a fully fledged Leeds player, and the signing of Robbie Fowler pushed him down the pecking order. With Alan Smith and Mark Viduka also in the running for a first team spot, Keane had to settle for a place on the bench for much of the 2001/02 season.

Keane went to the 2002 World Cup with the Republic of Ireland with his future shrouded in doubt. He was one of the stars of the tournament as Ireland went out on penalties to Spain in the second round.

It was thought his value would have rocketed, but within weeks of returning to England, Sunderland had an undisclosed bid, though to be in the region of £8million, accepted for Keane. However, the player turned down a move to the Stadium of Light.

Spurs then joined the chase for Keane and just before the transfer deadline in August 2002 he completed a £7million transfer. Keane had scored 19 goals for Leeds, but started only 38 games.

The player signed a four-year deal at White Hart Lane, with the option of a two-year extension. Keane made his Tottenham debut in a 3-2 win over West Ham United and made over 250 appearances for the club before leaving to join Liverpool.

The Irish international also captains his country.