Soccer:Robbie Keane was presented to hundreds of jubilant Celtic supporters in the early hours of this morning after completing his surprise loan move from Tottenham. Keane will go straight into the Celtic squad to travel to Kilmarnock tonight.
The Republic of Ireland striker arrived at Parkhead to a hero's welcome on the stroke of midnight before addressing the throng waiting to greet him.
"It's absolutely unbelievable,'' Keane told them. "This is the reason why I've always wanted to come to Celtic. "It's no secret over the years I've been a Celtic fan. I'm hoping to bring a lot of success in the short time I'm here.''
Keane was also treated to a round of applause as he was unveiled to the media.
He said: "It's overwhelming, an incredible reception. You never think as a player that you're going to get that kind of reception. I played against Celtic a few times and I've always got a great reception but that was unbelievable out there.''
Asked why he decided to join Celtic, he said: "To play football, first and foremost. I'm no different to anyone else. I always wanted to play for Celtic and it works out well for both parties.''
He confirmed Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell had been trying to sign him for some time.
"Peter said today it's no secret they've been trying to get me for a few years," said Keane, who has been handed the club's famous number seven jersey. There wasn't much persuading, to be honest with you."
But he refused to comment on whether he might stay beyond the end of the season, when his loan expires. "That's as far as I've thought about anything,'' he added.
Keane admitted the move was a dream, adding: "I didn't want to come here at 34 years of age at the end of my career and struggling. I think I'm coming here at the peak of my career.''
So significant is the move, bookmakers immediately slashed the odds of Celtic overhauling Rangers' 10-point lead in the Scottish Premier League.
Keane said: "I'm not a betting man, so I don't get involved in that. But, at the end of the day, I'm here to hopefully win trophies for Celtic and that is hopefully winning the league. I want to be part of that and I believe, with the squad of players that are here, there's no reason why we can't.''
He is also looking forward to playing in an Old Firm derby.
"The Rangers-Celtic game is obviously massive," he said. "I've been lucky enough to be at the game a couple of years ago. The atmosphere was absolutely unbelievable. It's a game I'm really looking forward to."
Despite being handed the jersey of Parkhead legend Henrik Larsson, he said: "Henrik Larsson obviously stands out in everyone's mind but we're two different players."
He also insisted he knew nothing about how his loan was funded, amid rumours billionaire director Dermot Desmond had personally helped finance the move. Keane's signing, Celtic boss Tony Mowbray's fourth of transfer deadline day, dwarfed those of Diomansy Kamara, Edson Braafheid and Paul Slane.
The afternoon also witnessed the ninth departure from the club since the turn of the year, with Scott McDonald joining Middlesbrough for an undisclosed fee.
Hoops chief executive Lawwell told Sky Sports News: "We've been pretty persistent in the last few windows in terms of keeping in touch with what he was wanting to do. Up until today, things were not looking very great at all. He always knew we were very, very keen to get him."
Lawwell said there was no specific option to make the move permanent but did not rule out doing just that in the summer.
He added: "What we find is that players that come to Celtic very rarely want to leave."
Lawwell refused to reveal how Keane's salary - reportedly in the region of €70,000 - would be paid and denied his signing was merely a ploy to appease disgruntled supporters.
"Tony probably wasn't blessed with the strongest squad we've had here when he arrived," he said. "We were always looking to bring in quality, our supporters do deserve the best and that's what we do at Celtic."