United Blow as Keane Picks Juve
Copyright � 1999 Nando Media
Copyright � 1999 Agence France-Presse
Roy Keane is preparing to shatter Manchester United's ambitions of holding on to their inspirational skipper by agreeing to sign a pre-contract with Italian giants Juventus.
Sources in Italy claim that Juve, who still possess the scars of coming up against Keane and co in last season's European Champions League semi-finals, have won the scramble to lure the midfielder away from Old Trafford.
The Republic of Ireland stalwart has steadfastly refused to commit himself to United's cause any longer than next summer when his current contract runs out. An improved offer of around �32,000 a week, which would effectively tie him to United for the
rest of his career, remains on the boardroom table.
Keane and his adviser Michael Kennedy have insisted that no decision on the player's future would be finalised until the last kick of the season.
But the player can, if he wishes, agree to sign for a continental side on a pre-contract basis from January 1.
Last night, Italian sources were maintaining that Juventus had beaten Serie A rivals Inter Milan, Lazio and Spanish hopefuls Real Madrid in acquiring the
future services of the 28-year-old Cork-born star.
They reveal that Keane will eventually sign a four-year contract worth a staggering �16million. The �4m-a-season deal is similar to that recently accepted by Juve's Alessandro del Piero and leaves United's offer lagging in its slipstream.
Sir Alex Ferguson has been urging the Old Traf-ford paymasters to smash their wage ceiling to accommodate Keane's demands, which the manager believes aren't outrageous in the modern era for a player of his imposing qualities.
It's understood that if United had come in with a �40,000- a- week offer, wages which are commonplace at other Premier-ship clubs like Chelsea and Newcastle and which have just been agreed with Arsenal's Kanu, then Keane would have stayed
at Old Trafford.
Recently, Keane argued that all he was looking for was the going rate for a player of his qualities and who is at the peak of his career. He felt that United had been fighting shy of rewarding his talents. It's a situation which has particularly irked Ferguson,
who is now likely to be presented with the onerous task of attempting to replace Keane - probably incurring a transfer fee of more than �10m.
Keane, although happy with his Old Trafford lifestyle, knows the money on offer from abroad in the case of him being a Bosman free is too good to ignore. He has also told friends that he is anxious to test his abilities in Italy or Spain, regardless of
the fortunes on offer.
If Juventus have secured Keane, it will be a double blow to United who will not be able to claim a fee for a player probably worth around �15m in the transfer
market and who cost United �3.75m from Nottingham Forest in July 1993.
Despite the loss of Keane, United are prepared to sell calamity keeper Massimo Taibi. The Italian has suffered a nightmare since his �4.5m move from Venezia.
The 29-year-old's registration was received too late by UEFA for Taibi to be eligible for the first sequence of Champions League games. He was then involved in letting in the softest goal of the season so far, allowing a weakly-struck effort from Southampton's Matt le Tissier to slip through his legs.
He later blamed faulty studs but has looked far from convincing in subsequent performances. He has since lost his place to Mark Bosnich, who has battled back to form after an inauspicious start of his own.
Now agents have been alerted that United are prepared to sell Taibi with the message to retrieve as much of the original cost they can. Piacenza are ready to act, although it's unlikely that they are prepared to give United all their money back.
Clearly, however, United are prepared to cut their losses and accept that Taibi has been a costly mistake. Renewed confidence in Bosnich, who is hoping to shake off a hamstring strain in time for Saturday's trip to Derby, and the secure back-up of
Raimond van der Gouw, have influenced the decision to ditch Taibi.
