Real Madrid are considering signing former Manchester United captain Roy Keane to breathe life into their bid to win a first trophy in three seasons, the club said on Monday.
"Roy Keane is on the list of possible signings the club is discussing at the moment," Real Madrid director of communications Antonio Garcia Ferreras told Reuters. "But nothing has been decided as yet.
"Contrary to reports in the press the player has not passed a medical with Real nor will he do so in the next couple of days.
"What is true is that the player was offered to the club around a month ago and because of his characteristics he is the sort of player that interests the technical staff.
"They are going to sit down in seven or eight days and decide on who, if anyone, the club will sign when the transfer window opens."
Spanish media reported on Monday that Keane was on the verge of joining Real on a six-month contract with an option for another and would earn a salary of 120,000 euros a week.
Real captain Raul, who is likely to be out for at least three months with a knee injury, and defender Sergio Ramos both said they would welcome the arrival of the 34-year-old Irishman, who left United last month.
"He's a great player and if he does come he will bring only positive things to the team," Raul told reporters on Monday.
Ramos added: "I don't think there will be any problems with any player that comes to strengthen the side."
The argument for recruiting Keane, who would be reunited with former club colleague David Beckham, is that he would provide a new edge to the Real midfield and revitalise the team in the same way that Dutchman Edgar Davids did at Barcelona two seasons ago.
If the deal does materialise, however, it would be one of the more improbable moves in the January transfer window.
The battle-weary Irishman is a shadow of the uncompromising player who inspired United to seven league titles after joining from Nottingham Forest in 1993.
He has not played a competitive game since breaking a bone in his foot against Liverpool in September and is hardly likely to walk straight into the Real Madrid starting lineup after over three months on the sidelines.
His signing would dramatically raise the average age of a Real midfield that already includes 30-year-old Beckham and 33-year-old Zinedine Zidane.
Real are not even short of central midfielders at the moment, with new signing Pablo Garcia, Thomas Gravesen, Guti and the versatile Ramos competing for places.
Given the characteristics of his game, Keane is likely to find it difficult to adapt to the lower levels of contact allowed in Spanish football and the different interpretation of the laws by referees.
Keane, who has also been approached by Celtic, Middlesbrough and Everton, would not be able to play in Europe after appearing for United in a Champions League qualifier against Debrecen in August.
