Celtic unveil Roy Keane as new player

Glasgow:

After weeks of speculation as to where he might move, Roy Keane finally made a decision and signed for Glasgow Celtic. The 34-year-old Irishman signed an 18-month deal and will be at the club until June of 2007. Keane, who ended his 12-year Manchester United career in November, had interested several Premiership clubs and Spanish giants Real Madrid. Keane's choice He had appeared close to joining Real only days ago, while Bolton, Everton, West Brom and West Ham were among other clubs to express their interest. Keane, though, eventually decided to go north of the border. Keane's move to Scotland comes after nearly 13 years under Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United and a well-documented falling-out with the club. The Irishman was reported to have been critical of a number of his United teammates in a MUTV programme that was pulled from the schedules because of it's content. But, stressing that he had been free of injury for a month, Keane said that he did not expect to walk straight into the Celtic team and rejected suggestions that he could be a disruptive influence in the dressing-room. Significant pay-cut According to newspaper reports Keane will earn 40,000 pounds ($70,940) a week at Celtic, the club he has supported all his life. That is considerably less than the approximately 90,000 pounds a week he earned at United. That's quite a significant pay-cut, making it clear that Keane's move to Celtic has very little to do with money. Keane will wear the number 16 shirt at Celtic, just as he did at Manchester United, and Celtic fans will be hoping that he has the same effect on their club as he did on the English giants. Celtic are currently three points ahead of Hearts at the top of the Scottish Premier League table. (AP)