Keane's future uncertain as Folan is set to join QPR on loan

SPECULATION CONTINUED to rumble on yesterday regarding Robbie Keane’s future at Spurs but another Republic of Ireland striker, Caleb Folan, looked to have sorted out where he will be spending the second half of the season with the 27-year-old on the verge of completing a loan move from Hull City to QPR last night.

Folan has struggled for first-team football this season, featuring just four times for Hull in August before being marginalised and told that the club would listen to offers for him. He subsequently went out on loan to Middlesbrough but was sidelined by injury for the bulk of the time he spent at the Riverside and he returned to City having made just one appearance from the bench.

Both he and his employers were keen that he secured the opportunity to play elsewhere between now and the summer and Paul Hart appears to have won the race to sign a striker who scored nine times as Hull won promotion from the Championship two seasons back.

The player’s agent, Hayden Evans, confirmed yesterday: “The two clubs have agreed a loan deal and now just a few details need to be finalised. Caleb was unfortunate with injury at Middlesbrough, but he is now fully fit again.”

Keane’s situation, meanwhile, continues to look uncertain with long-time admirer Martin O’Neill still reckoned to be anxious to bring him to Villa Park. John Carew looks certain to leave the midlands club over the course of the transfer window with the Norwegian international expected to return to Turkey but the possibility of a swap deal has been raised.

Emile Heskey has also been linked with a move away and so Keane could be attracted by the prospect of guaranteed first-team football while Harry Redknapp would get a back-up striker less inclined to act as the first-team squad’s social secretary and Carew would land the final big money move of his career he is said to crave.

Birmingham City boss Alex McLeish confirmed yesterday that he had made an inquiry about Aiden McGeady but said the matter never got as far as a discussion about money with the Scot insisting he was simply told there was no chance of a deal.

“We made an inquiry but we were told he is not for sale,” said McLeish. “The situation won’t change until someone says he is up for sale.”

Former Celtic manager Gordon Strachan continues to show interest in a good number of the less central squad members he left behind at Parkhead.

The Middlesbrough manager has confirmed that Gary Caldwell and Barry Robson are firm targets while he is also said to be interested in Dubliner Willo Flood as well as Chris Killen and Mark Wilson.

After a couple of months on the sidelines, meanwhile, former Bohemian goalkeeper Brian Murphy comes into the reckoning for Ipswich Town for the first time this weekend as Roy Keane’s Championship side prepares to take on Leicester.

Murphy, who made an outstanding contribution to the Dubliners’ two title-winning campaigns prior to moving to Portman Road, has not played competitively since the end of the season here but was involved with the Irish squad for the World Cup play-offs and insists he is looking forward to challenging for a first-team spot at his new clubs having finally become eligible.

“I’m under no illusions,” he says. “It’s going to be a tough four or five months ahead for me. I know that I won’t just be handed a start. But I hope to earn my position every week, and hopefully that position will be starting every week.

“It’s the manager’s call, though. I don’t even know whether I’ll be in the squad for the weekend. No one does yet.”