MORE ON KEANE EIRE COMEBACK

Quite what this would mean for Keane’s United future is all very uncertain. Could the long-standing Celtic rumours be true? From the Guardian:

Roy Keane is due to meet the Republic of Ireland manager Brian Kerr within the next fortnight to discuss a return to international football, having been in regular contact with him recently.

The 33-year-old former Republic captain has not played for his country since he famously was sent home from the 2002 World Cup on the eve of the tournament in South Korea and Japan and he continues to divide public opinion across Ireland.

Kerr has since succeeded Mick McCarthy, with whom Keane fell out so irrevocably, and with Keane believing he has unfinished business with the Irish the two men reached the point of discussing the matter.

It appeared that Keane was set to return only for talks to break down over whether the Manchester United midfielder would play in non-competitive matches as well as European qualification fixtures.

Keane's injured hip meant that United wanted him to play as few games as possible for anyone else.

It is not known whether any compromises have been reached between Keane, Kerr and the United manager Sir Alex Ferguson but the player is understood to have been impressed by Kerr's managerial discipline.