What a career it’s been for Robbie Keane.
Ten clubs. 317 club goals. 68 goals in 146 appearances for the Republic of Ireland.
The Dubliner will go down as a Premier League great, will be remembered fondly by Celtic fans and was one of the early movers from England to MLS.
There are not many players who have put together a career as storied as Keane which is what makes the striker’s next move all the more fascinating.
النجم الايرلندي روبي كين يشارك في تدريبات الفرسان صباح اليوم pic.twitter.com/0S9P4z2yxM
— نادي شباب الأهلي (@Shabab_AlAhliFC) February 6, 2017
In January and after Keane had left LA Galaxy, the 36-year-old was linked with moves to Sunderland, Preston North End and even Shamrock Rovers but no deal was done.
Eyebrows were raised on Monday when the veteran forward showed up in Dubai, of all places, where he was pictured training with UAE Arabian Gulf League champions Al-Ahli.
Keane was put through his paces in the blistering heat and, suddenly, he was set to sign for Al-Ahli which would presumably be the club at which Keane’s boots were hung up.
That’s what Monday’s headlines would have led you to believe, at least.
But the latest update would suggest that there are no negotiations between Keane and Al-Ahli and that Keane’s future lies elsewhere.
The Irish Times report that Keane, who turns 37 in July, was simply on holidays with his family in Dubai and was keen to maintain his fitness levels so accepted the kind invitation from Al-Ahli to join in training.
There were a number of offers from clubs in England last month but there was no obligation for Keane to be signed up before the January transfer window slammed shut last Tuesday given the fact that he is a free agent and that clubs may bring in newly recruited players up until March 23rd.
The Sun are reporting today that Burnley are currently in the process of weighing up a move for the Republic of Ireland legend which would see him join the Irish contingent of Jeff Hendrick, Robbie Brady and Stephen Ward at Turf Moor.
“I had to knock back a couple of offers. Maybe a little too far away,” Keane recently told talkSPORT.
“As I said, I’ve got a few offers on the table at the moment, I’ve had a lot of people asking me to come back to Leeds, Wolves and so on.”
