Chelsea sound out Inter on Keane

Chelsea confirmed yesterday that they have been in contact with Inter Milan about taking Robbie Keane to Stamford Bridge for the rest of the season.

Chelsea's managing director Colin Hutchison said yesterday: "We are currently looking at various playing options. We are monitoring the situation regarding Robbie Keane and have been in touch with Inter Milan about him."

Hutchison, who was speaking before Chelsea's a.g.m., said the situation was difficult because of Inter's European involvement but expressed the hope that, should the Italian side be knocked out of the UEFA Cup, the Republic of Ireland striker might become available.

Rumours of a possible move for Keane have been rife over the past few weeks and Leeds United and Liverpool are among the other English clubs reported to have expressed an interest in either buying or borrowing the 20-year-old.

A loan deal certainly seems the more likely. The club's coach Marco Tardelli has not ruled out allowing the former Wolves and Coventry striker to get first-team action elsewhere although he insists no decision has been made.

"Basically I'm happy with my players," said Tardelli. "(and so) for now we will keep Keane here. There is no pressure, no rush, to send him on loan."

Keane, in fact, has repeatedly insisted that he is perfectly content at the San Siro and determined to continue his battle with Hakan Sukur, Christian Vieri, Ivan Zamorano and Alvaro Recoba for a place in the team's attack.

And while the club's new coach appears to have reservations about handing the Irishman a regular spot in his starting lineup, Keane's friend at Inter, Clarence Seedorf, has confidently predicted the Dubliner will emerge as a major star at the club.

"He is a phenomenon," the Dutch international told the website Onefootball.com. "He is ready to play and he has some incredible moves in training, especially when it comes to dribbling.

"It is not necessary for him to move to a small team for more experience, (but) whether he goes on loan or stays at Inter, it's practically the same. If you have the qualities, you will do well - and he does. Wherever he is, he will learn."

Lee Carsley, meanwhile, yesterday completed his move from Blackburn Rovers to Coventry City for a fee believed to be in the region of £2.5 million sterling.

The 26-year-old midfielder agreed personal terms with Coventry yesterday but will not be debuting for Gordon Strachan's side until after today's game against Bradford City for "personal reasons".

The move ends Strachan's search for a replacement for Gary McAllister, who left for Liverpool during the summer and also ends Carsley's search for first-team football. The Republic of Ireland international had lost his regular place and the captaincy at Ewood Park at the end of last season.

"I made my mind up I wanted Lee here early in the year when I knew Gary McAllister was leaving," said Strachan yesterday. "It has taken a long time and it has been down to perseverance - I have checked on his availability every two weeks," he remarked.

Carsley said he had been impressed with the spirit at the club despite their current position in the Premiership (fourth from bottom) and that he had consulted Robbie Keane and Gary Breen before deciding on the move.

"I made it known in the summer that I wanted to return to the Premiership and when I got the chance I jumped at it. I said I would give it a season at Blackburn, which I did, and I had a great time there. It is a lovely club and I made a lot of friends."

While Carsley will be reporting for training for his new club on Monday, Stoke City's James O'Connor is staying put after making his peace with manager Gudjon Thordarson.

The Irish under-21 international, who had made an outstanding start to the season at the Britannia Stadium, missed the last four games, including the two cup humiliations of the past week, after a dispute that became much worse when it emerged that the player had not been told of a £750,000 offer for him from West Brom where former Stoke manager Gary Megson is in charge.

After a board meeting on Thursday night, however, senior club officials told O'Connor that they were anxious to keep him at the club and yesterday the Dubliner said he was "just relieved to be training with the first-team squad again" after having been marginalised for almost two weeks.