Juventus most intriguing of many offers open to Keane

SOCCER: Roy Keane will this morning sit down with his advisors to discuss the offers of employment from the Continent, as well as Scotland and England, that have come in since the midfielder parted company with Manchester United on Friday.

The most intriguing of these comes from Juventus, but there has also been interest from a prominent club in Spain.

As yet there has been no official approach from the Italian champions, who are five points clear at the top of Serie A, for Keane, but there has already been contact, and part of Keane's assessments this morning will focus on the concrete nature of many of the proposals.

Juve have Patrick Vieira in their midfield already, and Emerson, but Keane's camp have been encouraged by the noises they have heard via a third party.

Juve's interest may not yet be as long standing or as solid as Celtic's, but the thought of a final hurrah in Serie A is known to be tempting the 34-year-old.

Keane would be able to join Juventus immediately, having become a free agent when his contract at Old Trafford was paid up. But there is some confusion as to his status within England.

Yesterday an FA official said the Cork man would not be able to join another Premiership club until January 1st, but it is believed Keane's representative, Michael Kennedy, a solicitor, does not share that view. He is thought to believe Keane could play for another English club this weekend and will seek clarification this morning.

Of the many Premiership clubs which have contacted Keane, Middlesbrough are understood to have been the first and most persistent. Steve McClaren, who worked with Keane when he was at Old Trafford, refused to comment yesterday, but Boro might be in a position to offer a player-coach role that would have some appeal.

But Keane is reluctant to play for another English club against United, and Celtic can offer Keane something closer to home than Juventus.

Celtic's chairman, Brian Quinn, yesterday stressed there is a lot of talking to be done yet.

"There are two separate issues," he said. "One is a footballing issue, whether Roy would fit into Gordon's (Strachan) plans and the formation, because the team is playing very well just now and is very settled. That is Gordon's judgment and we have to take that into account.

"The other is the business side, and we would have to wait and see what is proposed. We have heard nothing from Roy Keane, nothing from his representatives, and until you see what the proposal is, it is premature to offer a view on that."

Guardian Service