Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish would be happy to sign Robbie Keane on a permanent basis if the two-goal hero was interested.

When asked if Keane deserved a bigger stage than the Major Soccer League, McLeish said: “It’s one of these things he’s chosen to do. It is up to Robbie.

McLeish praises Keane
“If he feels he wants to come back to the Premier League, I’m sure there would be some welcoming arms.

“I would like to think we’d be interested. We brought him in. He’s paid his dues with that magnificent performance today.

“It was two great strikes. Robbie has done that throughout his career and it was no surprise to see him getting on the scoresheet.

“The winner was spectacular. Not many people shoot from outside the box these days, but Keane has done that a few times over the years. They were two sublime strikes.”

SOURCE: Sky Sports

This could be interesting. Robbie Keane may well be interested in a potential quick-fire return to the Premier League, having only left for MLS side LA Galaxy some six months ago, but whether his American employers would consider such a sale is another matter.

The 31 year old made an immediate impact at Aston Villa with two glorious strikes to help the Midlands side overcome local rivals Wolves and perhaps the Irishman is having second thoughts and realises that he is still very much capable of hitting the highs at the highest level.

With the Euro 2012 finals just around the corner there may be even more of a temptation for Keane to keep his form in check by playing in one of the most competitive leagues on the planet but one imagines Alex McLeish’s wish to bring in the former Tottenham man on a permanent basis may be checked by the LA Galaxy.

Keane helped his MLS side to a domestic league triumph in his first season at the Home Depot Center, notching up four goals in nine games for the LA Galaxy.

The Dublin born striker is a natural born finisher and has scored goals regularly throughout his career and indeed the on loan Aston Villa man should be given credit for opting to not overly celebrate his two strikes on the weekend against the club where his career started, Wolves.

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Aston Villa have signed Los Angeles Galaxy and Republic of Ireland striker Robbie Keane on loan until 25 February, subject to Fifa clearance.

“This is only short term, of course,” said the much-travelled ex-Coventry, Leeds, Spurs and Liverpool striker.

“But there has been a lot of speculation over the years linking my name to Villa and, finally, I’m here.”

Keane, 31, who has already been training with Villa, could make his debut at home to Everton on Saturday.

Dubliner Keane, who started his career with Wolverhampton Wanderers as a 17-year-old, admitted: “I’m delighted to be back in the Premier League.

“I’m excited about it and I know I’ll really enjoy my time here. It’s only for two months, but I will do my absolute best.

“Villa are a great club, a club with a massive tradition and standing in the game. Villa Park is one of the finest stadiums I’ve ever played in.

“I’ve been training with the players here for the past few days and it’s been great but I’m not naive enough to think I’ll just walk straight into the team.”

SOURCE: BBC Sport

Surprisingly Robbie Keane did not claim to be a boyhood fan of the Midlands club but that won’t make him any less useful to Alex McLeish who has seen his Aston Villa side on occasion struggle to break down the opposition. The 31 year old Irish international will have to prove himself capable of ousting either Gabriel Agbonlahor or Darren Bent, both of whom have had hit and miss seasons thus far.

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Robbie Keane has begun training with Aston Villa and is expected to finalise a return to the Premier League on a short-term loan in the next 24 hours.

The Republic of Ireland international departed English shores in August 2011, with the Los Angeles Galaxy having lured him to the MLS.

Keane enjoyed a productive first season in America, with the Galaxy claiming MLS Cup glory.

He is, however, looking to return to Europe during the American off-season, with it important for him to maintain his fitness levels and match sharpness ahead of Euro 2012.

The 31-year-old has been training with former employers Tottenham Hotspur since returning to England, but he is keen to find regular football.

Villa are prepared to offer him those opportunities, with Alex McLeish confirming that the club are looking to tie up a deal.

Keane has now arrived in the Midlands to put the finishing touches to an agreement and he could be a Villa player by the time they play host to Everton on Saturday.

SOURCE: Sky Sports

Alex McLeish will be hoping that the experienced Irishman can help boost his side’s attacking options after seeing the Midlands club manage just 22 goals in 20 games and both Gabriel Agbonlahor and Darren Bent have not been in the best form of late so the addition of an experienced Premier League campaigner like Robbie Keane could only be considered a bonus.

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Aston Villa boss Alex McLeish is ready to give Robbie Keane a shock return to the Premier League if he can cut through red tape.

The Republic of Ireland star is taking a break at the end of the MLS season with Los Angeles Galaxy, but McLeish would like to take him on loan for a couple of months.

Keane could be open to the plan to keep himself sharp before heading back to California and building up for the Euro 2012 finals with his country.

However Keane would need clearance from both LA Galaxy and the MLS – plus a big insurance payment – to make the move happen, but it is being explored by Villa.

SOURCE: Daily Mirror

This is interesting news. Whilst Thierry Henry may well be about to be on his way back to Arsenal on a short term deal one wonders if the LA Galaxy would be quite so likely to accept a similar move for Robbie Keane. After all the 31 year old Irish international only arrived at the MLS club six months ago and clearly the same club paid the price of allowing David Beckham to make a similar move to AC Milan, which led to five months out with a torn Achilles tendon.

Aston Villa have managed just 22 goals in 19 Premier League games this season so could well do with an injection of another attacking option. That said, Alex McLeish does have some talented frontmen to pick from with Darren Bent and Gabriel Agbonlahor putting in good form in patches this season.

Robbie Keane had been linked with interest from the Midlands club during his second spell at Tottenham but no move was forthcoming.

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Tottenham Hotspur striker Robbie Keane is on the verge of joining Los Angeles Galaxy this morning in a £3.5million deal.

The 31-year-old has been deemed surplus to requirements after dropping down the pecking order last year following the arrival of Rafael van der Vaart.

The Republic of Ireland international played 13 times for Spurs last year before being sent on-loan to West Ham, where he failed to impress, and has recently stated his desire to leave.

Keane wants a move to America, but the agreed deal is complicated by MLS rules, which states any team must have only three high-earning squad members, known as ‘designated players’.

The Galaxy have David Beckham, Landon Donovan and Juan Pablo Angel registered as their ‘designated players’ and must lose one of them to allow Keane to join.

Angel, the former Aston Villa striker, is the most likely player to leave the Galaxy, with Philadelphia Union reportedly interested in signing him.

Another problem that may hinder the deal is that the MLS transfer deadline passed at midnight EST (5AM UK time).

LA Galaxy president Tom Payne said any signings would not be formally announced until this evening UK time.

Keane made 254 appearances for Spurs during his first spell between 2002 and 2008, during which time he scored 107 goals.

He then moved to Liverpool for £20million but returned to north London within six months after a torrid time at Anfield.

Redknapp preferred Jermain Defoe, Roman Pavlyuchenko and Peter Crouch last season and the arrival of Van der Vaart further reduced Keane’s first-team opportunities.

Blackburn and Leicester City are also thought to be interested in the former Inter Milan striker.

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25. Danielle Lloyd (Jamie O’Hara)

Tottenham Hotspur’s season stalled last summer because of a lack of goals from their strikers.

Manager Harry Redknapp realised his side’s shortcomings but was unable to persuade chairman Daniel Levy to part with the amount of cash needed to sign a top striker.

Now it seems even more important to make a big signing to keep stars Luka Modric and Gareth Bale happy at the club.

But no Champions League football next season will hamper their efforts to sign the best strikers, meaning Redknapp will have to do his homework.

Money should become available once the squad is trimmed down, with the likes of Jermaine Jenas, Niko Kranjcar and Sebastien Bassong looking to be heading for the exit.

So we have given the Spurs boss a hand in identifying 10 possible replacements for Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch, Robbie Keane and Roman Pavlyuchenko.