Krong Angkor

McDonald leaves Celtic, Keane set to be cock-a-hoop at move

GLASGOW (AFP) - Australia striker Scott McDonald left Celtic for English Championship side Middlesbrough on Monday's transfer deadline day as boyhood Hoops fan Robbie Keane prepared to join the Glasgow giants.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp confirmed on Monday the London club has given 29-year-old Republic of Ireland captain Keane permission to talk to Celtic about a loan deal until the end of the season.

"I don't think it's been sorted yet but it looks like it probably will happen," Redknapp told Sky Sports.

With the likes of Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe at White Hart Lane, Keane has found first-team football hard to come by and Redknapp added: "It's a good move. Robbie needs to play.

"He's too good a player not to be starting here regularly. He wants to play all the time.

"It's been difficult to guarantee Robbie a starting place at the moment.

"He's not a happy man when he's not playing regularly.

"But he loves his football; he's a great trainer, a great man about the place.

"To go to Celtic is a dream come true for him anyway. I think it's a move that appeals to him.

"He's a big Celtic man and he'd like to go up to Celtic and play like Roy Keane did.

"The Irish lads, it's in their blood and they dream of playing for Celtic one day.

"This opportunity is one they want to take and we don't want to stand in his way, because we're strong in that position."

Keane, who follows in the steps of former Irish stars such as his namesake Roy Keane, Tony Cascarino, Packie Bonner and Mick McCarthy, is set join Diomansy Kamara and Edson Braafhield as transfer deadline day arrivals at Celtic, 10 points behind arch-rivals Rangers in the Scottish Premier League table.

McDonald became the fifth former Celtic player to join ex Hoops boss Gordon Strachan at Middlesbrough.

He completed on Monday a permanent move to the north-east side but the fee was not disclosed.

Melbourne born McDonald scored 50 goals in 88 league appearances for Celtic after joining the club before the start of the 2007 season from Motherwell.