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CHARLTON
DEMAND FIRST REFUSAL ON KEANE
Charlton Athletic are demanding
first refusal on Robbie Keane if he returns to the Premiership
from Inter Milan. The South London club insist they have
first refusal on the £13million striker after signing
a link-up agreement with the Italian giants. They have already
been in touch with the Seria A club with a view to taking
Keane on loan until the end of the season. Addicks assistant
manager Keith Peacock confirme: "Our agreement with
Inter quite clearly states that we have the first option
on Robbie. I have been in contact with the club to discuss
the situation and I have been left in no doubt that he wants
to stay with Inter at the moment." Charlton have a
'special agreement' with Inter that has already seen them
swap youngsters. Peacock continued; "Any wild speculation
that anyone may have read recently - about him signing for
Spurs or Chelsea - is just that, wild speculation. If Robbie's
situation does change, our supporters can rest assured that
we will be using our first refusal option to be at the front
of the queue to talk to him. He is a wonderful player,"
ROBBIE
TO FIGHT FOR PLACE AT INTER
Robbie Keane has rejected Leeds
and Chelsea's overtures and insisted he wants to stay put
at Inter Milan. The Republic of Ireland youngster has been
unable to hold down a first team place at the San Siro since
a summer £12million move from Coventry, and that's
with Ronaldo and Christian Vieri still on the injured list.
Chelsea are ready to bring him back for £10million.
Leeds are also interested and would like him on loan as
cover for the injured Michael Bridges.
But Keane insists his future remains in Italy. "No
one said it would be easy here but you have to challenge
yourself and I am determined to get into the first team.
I would be foolish to return before I have given Serie A
a good shot. I am happy to fight for my place at Inter,"
he said.
ROBBIE
SCORES FIRST GOAL FOR INTER
ROBBIE KEANE scored his first
goal for Serie A giants Inter Milan in a friendly against
amateur side Vigevano last night.
The 20-year-old Irish international, signed from Coventry
for £13m last week, played the full 90 minutes and
scored Inter's first goal just before half-time in a 3-2
win. Keane is expected to be on the bench for Inter's Champions'
League qualifier against Helsingborg tomorrow match with
Turkish star Hakan Sukur and Chilean Ivan Zamorano forming
the strike partnership.
ROBBIE
FROM FIRST DEVISION TO SERIE A IN ONE YEAR
"When I was on my way to
Italy I was thinking to myself how unpredictable things
are. This time last year I was getting ready to play for
Wolves in the first division. Now I've got to get ready
to play alongside people like Ronaldo, Vieri, Blanc, Seedort,
[Luigi] Di Biagio and other great players who, all of a
sudden, are now my team-mates."
INTER SIGN
KEANE
Inter Milan have completed the
£12million signing of Coventry striker Robbie Keane
subject to a medical. The Irish international flew out to
Italy for talks and signed a contract on Saturday with the
Serie A giants. Coventry chairman Bryan Richardson. "We
have agreed a transfer fee of £12million with Inter
Milan and the player will be flying to Italy on Saturday
morning to negotiate his personal terms," he announced.
Sky Blues boss Gordon Strachan was desperate to keep Keane,
who he rates as one of the best young players in the world,
but accepted that the offer was simply too large for City
to turn down. Strachan said: "I wanted to keep Robbie
- for another year at least - but Inter made a huge bid
for him and it was too much for the club to resist. The
decision to sell him was not made by me. I hope that he
flies over to Italy and he doesn't like the San Siro, doesn't
like the pay rise, doesn't like playing with Ronaldo and
Vieri".
INTER OFFER
£12M FOR KEANE
According to reports Inter Milan
have offered Coventry City £12m for striker Robbie
Keane. The Italian side have been in contact with Coventry
over Robbie Keane, who was signed from Wolves by Gordon
Strachan for £6m last year. "Robbie Keane is
the most likely option for us." says Inter chairman
Gabriele Oriali.
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