Keane returns to Spurs as Arshavin joins Arsenal
By ROB HARRIS, AP Sports Writer Feb 2, 6:04 pm EST
MANCHESTER, England (AP)—Robbie Keane rejoined Tottenham on Monday after only six months at Liverpool, and Arsenal added Russia playmaker Andrei Arshavin to its depleted squad.
Keane is the third former Spurs player that manager Harry Redknapp has brought back to White Hart Lane. He is set to make his debut in Sunday’s north London derby against Arsenal.
The Irish forward moved to Liverpool for $37.9 million (19 million pounds), but he struggled at the club he supported as a boy and scored only seven goals in 28 appearances. The Reds were believed to have accepted $22.4 million (16 million pounds) from Spurs.
The 28-year-old Keane’s six years at Spurs was his longest spell with a team following stints with Wolves, Coventry, Inter Milan and Leeds.
“It was a difficult decision to make to leave Tottenham in the summer—it proved not to be the right move for me,” Keane said. “I know some Spurs fans will feel I let them down by leaving, but I can assure them I shall be giving my all for this club. This club has terrific fans and I want to repay them for all their support.”
Arshavin’s deal was struck just at the transfer window deadline, and Arsenal had to wait until Tuesday to discover whether the 27-year-old Russia playmaker’s registration was ratified by the Premier League.
“The deal was signed for 3 1/2 years, and the financial details will be disclosed tomorrow,” Zenit spokesman Alexei Petrov said.
The Gunners are fifth in the Premier League, 10 points behind first-place Manchester United, and manager Arsene Wenger identified Arshavin as his main target to compensate for the losses of Cesc Fabregas, Tomas Rosicky and Theo Walcott, who are injured.
Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari signed winger Ricardo Quaresma on loan from Inter Milan until the end of the season to help to fill the void left by Joe Cole, sidelined by a ruptured knee ligament.
AP Football Writer Robert Millward in London contributed to this report.
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