ISL 2017: Premier League aspirants Wolverhampton Wanderers show interest in ATK star Robbie Keane
Robbie Keane in action during a Premier League match-Tottenham Hotspur v Burnley
What's the story?
Wolverhampton Wanderers has shown keen interested in bringing back their former striker Robbie Keane to strengthen their squad in the on-going season. The last time Wolves played in the top flight was back in 2012.
Currently playing in the championship, the club from the West Midlands is making a big effort to make the cut for the Premier League in the near future.
In case you didn't know...
Robbie Keane was roped in by Kolkata based team ATK for ISL 2017 as their marquee player earlier this year. The Irishman has already played four matches for the Soura Ganguly co-owned side and scored twice.
The heart of the matter
Wolves’ coach Nuno Espirito Santo is said to be eager to make the move a possibility as he is leaving no stones unturned to make his team a fit contender to qualify for the Premier League next season.
In spite of several injuries, the 37-year-old striker has proved his worth on the pitch, having played an influential role in ATK since he made his debut for the Kolkata club.
What's next?
Though the former Liverpool striker is supposed to be part of ATK until March, it is learned as per reports that he might be given an early release. ATK are not in a very favourable position on the ISL table at the moment.
If they lose the services of Robbie Keane midway in the ISL, it will be difficult for them to qualify for the knockout stages. On the other hand, the Wolves will get a huge boost if the Irishman joins their camp during the January transfer window.
Author's take
Robbie Keane started his senior professional career at Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1997 and played there for a couple of years. The return to his first club will be like a homecoming for the veteran, and it could well be a fairytale finish to his glorious career, if he were to retire at the Moliniux. However, ATK have struggled without him, and it would be interesting to see how the Kolkata-basted club reacts to this.