Keane career: Transfers and quotes

July 8th,1980:

Born in Dublin

Aug 1st, 1997:

Signs professional contract with Wolves two years after arriving at the club from Crumlin United

Stats: Plays 77 games (plus 11 as substitute) scoring 29 goals

Aug 18th, 1999:

Signs for Coventry City for £6 million

Stats: 33 (1) 12

Aug 1st, 2000:

Signs for Inter Milan for £13 million Stats: 4 (2) 0

Dec 20th, 2000:

Signs for Leeds United, initially on loan then for £12 million

Stats: 38 (18) 19

Aug 31st, 2002:

Signs for Tottenham for £7 million

Stats: 202 (52) 107

July 28th, 2008:

Signs for Liverpool for £20.3 million

Stats: 23 (5) 7

Feb 2nd, 2009:

Signs for Tottenham for £15 million

“It hit everyone so hard, although I still felt we were in the building process. I had a 13-year-old Robbie Keane sat in my office; I had the plans for the training ground there – we were building.

– Former Wolves boss Graham Taylor reflects on being “invited to resign” by the club.

“My dad told me that just because I supported Liverpool didn’t mean that I had to sign for them – and he was right. I was over at Anfield for a week and got to meet all the players I had worshipped on the telly, people like Ian Rush and Robbie Fowler.

“Everybody at the club was nice to me but I still didn’t accept when they asked me to sign. Somehow I had this feeling it would be better to build my career elsewhere.”

– Keane passes up the chance to sign for the club he supported as a child.

“(Harvard) Flo isn’t match fit and the speed of the game took him by surprise. But he enjoyed it and I can see certain things developing between him and Keane. As for Keane, his skill and control is unbelievable.

– Then Wolves boss Colin Lee on an emerging prospect in January 1999

“If Robbie has a couple of good seasons with us then I would expect his value to increase to around £10 million. We would not have paid out this kind of money for a player who is 28, but he is the right age and fits our bill perfectly.” – Coventry City chairman Bryan Richardson on Keane’s arrival.

“Robbie is very special to us. I’m just hoping Robbie doesn’t like the San Siro, doesn’t like the wages and wants to come back here.”

– Gordon Strachan on his departure.

“We are delighted to have bought Keane. We have been following him for a year now. Even though he is only 20, and while we expect him to improve with us, we have not bought him as an investment for the future, rather as a player ready to play now.”

– Inter’s team director Lele Oriali as Keane touches down in Italy.

“I wanted it to work in Italy. I was working hard in training and it went well when Mr Lippi was there. But the new manager (Marco Tardelli) had his own ideas and I wasn’t in them.”

– Keane on leaving again.

“I had a trial game and I thought I did quite well. But I never got that magical phone call. But my dad’s thrilled now.”

– On having been passed over as a 14-year-old by then Leeds boss Howard Wilkinson and finally getting to join his father’s favourite club.

“We are buying potential, not the finished article. He is out of the Alan Shearer mould – mentally strong. He is going to be a great player.

– Dave O’Leary on his new signing.

“I’m happy for him if it works out because we see the best of Robbie when he’s playing regularly.”

– Republic of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy on Keane’s move to White Hart Lane.

“It puzzled me that only once during my time did another club – Everton – try to buy him. I look at some of the strikers being signed by Europe’s top clubs and think Robbie’s better. He is only 27 and hardly any other striker in England comes up with the goods so regularly.”

– Martin Jol who came to regard Keane as the club’s key striker.

“It’s absolutely fantastic, a real dream come true for me. I’ve been a Liverpool fan all my life, going back to when I was a kid growing up in Dublin, and I always had a Liverpool shirt on my back. So, to be here now as a Liverpool player is incredible and I couldn’t be happier.

“The only way I could try to describe it is to compare it to when you’re a little kid on Christmas Eve and you know you’re about to get your presents. It’s that excited feeling. You can’t wait to open your presents the next day and you’re buzzing inside.”

– Keane arrives at Anfield

“The club paid £20 million.”

– Rafa Benitez suggests Keane might be about leave.

“Getting Robbie is the icing on the cake. I think we’ll be okay now.”

– Harry Redknapp gets his man.

“It was a difficult decision to make to leave Tottenham in the summer. It proved not to be the right move for me.”

– Robbie returns . . .