The Robbie Keane saga finally looks to be coming to an end as the chairman of Atletico de Kolkata Sanjiv Goenka has confirmed the club are on the verge of signing the Irish striker.
Keane had been linked with several clubs since leaving LA Galaxy over a year ago, Birmingham City were thought to be one of the clubs when manager Harry Redknapp expressed an interest in the player but a deal never materialised.
The striker had been training with Shamrock Rover in recent times to keep himself fit and ready if a club came knocking for his services.
Speaking with the Telegraphindia, Goenka was asked about the possibility of Keane arriving for the remainder of the season,
Robbie's a great striker and has played competitive football at the highest level for years. He remains supremely fit and is the kind of player who can take the game to new heights. I should add that Robbie, who has firsts to his credit, is excited at the prospect of playing in India in general and Calcutta in particular.
Teddy (manager) has played with Robbie (at Tottenham Hotspur) and knows him well. That personal factor apart, he sees him as an absolute match-winner and someone who will do well in Indian conditions.
Is Robbie good enough to win us three or four matches? My belief is yes. So, you have my answer. It is far better to have match-winners, rather than a team packed with mediocre players. That had been my approach in the build-up to this year's IPL, a belief which made me go all out for Ben Stokes.
It is fantastic to hear that Robbie Keane is as highly regarded in India as he is in Ireland.
Keane is Ireland's record goalscorer with 68 goals and he represented the country 146 times and although he has retired from international football, his appetite for the beautiful game has not diminished if he is willing to go and play professionally in India.
