Robbie was always ‘Keane’ on a move to Liverpool.

Robbie Keane says it is a dream come true for him to sign for Liverpool, the club he has loved since he was a boy.

The £20.3 million signing from Tottenham says that he has always wanted to play for the team from Anfield.

“I’ve been waiting for this day since I was a kid. I’m a massive fan, so to be sitting here in a Liverpool tracksuit is a dream come true. I am so grateful just to be here. I love the club and this is the one dream I had still to achieve. I always wanted to be a footballer as a kid, but also to play for Liverpool, maybe you never feel it is going to happen. Now I am enjoying every minute and I can’t wait to pull on that red shirt. This is a massive club and I want to do everything I can to make them even more successful.”

Twenty-eight year old Keane realises that he is running out of time to play at the very highest level and will relish the challenge of Champions League football. He has been a loyal servant to Tottenham over six seasons and feels it is unfair for him to receive criticism for leaving and looking to further his career.

“The reasons I left Spurs are that I am a huge Liverpool fan and the chance to play for them may never come around again. This opportunity is something I couldn’t let go. I am at an age now when I believe I am at my peak, and aim to kick on. I do not think I let Spurs down. I had six fantastic seasons there and gave them everything, from day one. I always give everything, and that will never change. The Spurs fans were always magnificent to me and I will always have a place in my heart for them. But this is a new chapter in my life and one that I am looking forward to. I had six great years at Spurs and thank them for that.”

Keane speaks very highly of his new strike partner, Fernando Torres. He is understandably looking forward to playing with the young Spaniard who bagged thirty-three goals last season.

“He has been a revelation since he came to the Premier League. He was absolutely outstanding last year and also in the Euros with Spain. It is hard to leave Tottenham with some of the players they had, like Dimitar Berbatov, who I had a great relationship with, but Torres is probably the best striker in the world right now. Hopefully we can play a lot of games together and do well.”

It is possible that Keane has hit on one slight problem with his move in that last comment. With Rafa Benitez’s sometimes confusing rotation system, it remains to be seen just how often both players appear in the same team. Often, in Europe, Benitez prefers to play with a lone striker. He also found great success by pairing Torres with Steve Gerrard in a role in the hole behind him. If Keane is to regularly play with Torres then the role of Gerrard will need to be redefined.

Keane has been handed the famous Red number seven shirt, following in the footsteps of Liverpool legends Kenny Dalglish and Kevin Keegan.

“To wear that shirt is an honour, and something I truly understand. If I can have half as much success in it as Keegan and Dalglish did, I will be a happy man.”

Rafa Benitez says he hopes the shirt inspires Keane to succeed at Liverpool.

“We were talking about the number, and the big names that have had this number, so it will be inspirational for him to have it too,” said the boss.

“We were looking for a player with game intelligence and good movement who could play alongside Torres. He can play with Torres up front and also on the right. He is a player who can give to us a lot of goals. Normally he gets about 15 each year. We were looking for the workrate he can give to us, the game intelligence and also the goals.”

Is there a clue in what Benitez has said. Is Keane likely to replace the hard working but limited Dirk Kuyt on the right?

It remains to be seen exactly what role he will play but there is no doubt that the signing of the Republic of Ireland’s highest ever goalscorer is a good signing for Liverpool.