Sheringham wants Keane at Hammers

THE RACE FOR ROY Confirmed interest: Bolton, Celtic, Man City, Portsmouth, West Brom, West Ham, Wigan Not interested: Juventus, Birmingham, Tottenham, Roma Celtic make move for Keane

West Ham striker Teddy Sheringham has urged his former Manchester United team-mate Roy Keane to join him at the London club.

Keane, 34, has been linked with a host of British and European clubs since he left United on 18 November.

"I would love Roy Keane here at West Ham. He's a fantastic footballer and would improve our team tenfold," Sheringham told the News of the World.

"He has two years left at the top. I'd be surprised if he goes to Celtic."

Sheringham added: "He's far too good to go up into the Scottish League. It would be a waste of an amazing talent.

"I actually think he might surprise us all and join a club in the top five or six - and if he does he will push them up into Europe.

"And there's been a lot of speculation linking him with clubs at the bottom of the table too. I really think if one of those clubs did get him it would guarantee them survival."

As well as Celtic, Premiership clubs Bolton, Portsmouth, Manchester City, West Brom and Wigan have all been linked with Keane.

The Sunday People reported Saudi Arabian club Al Ittihad had offered Keane £1m to play in the World Cup Championship, a tournament Liverpool will also be participating in December.

Al Ittihad's president Mansour Al Balawi was quoted in the newspaper: "Our objective is to land a really big star to play in this tournament - money will not be an object."

BBC Sport rounds up the latest, club-by-club news on who is in and out of the race to sign Roy Keane.

BIRMINGHAM

Birmingham boss Steve Bruce:
"Will we be trying to sign him? No, I think we can rule that one out, that's for sure."

BOLTON

Bolton manager Sam Allardyce:
"It would be difficult to get Roy Keane.

"I am sure he will sit down in a day or two and discuss with his agent where he wants to go, but if we do get an opportunity, we would like to talk to him."

CELTIC

Celtic midfielder Neil Lennon:
"If Roy does come, it will be great. If he doesn't, we carry on regardless."

MANCHESTER CITY

Manchester City manager Stuart Pearce:
"We are certainly looking at players who might improve our team - we always are and always will be and Roy is a good player, one who can improve our team.

"He is a good player and that is borne out by the number of teams who have been associated with a player who has only been released by his club for a couple of days."

PORTSMOUTH

Chief executive Peter Storrie:
"If we could bring Keane to Pompey it would be fantastic, but in what role I don't know.

"I'm unsure whether he wants to stay as a player or get into coaching. With someone like Roy, it would be important to have someone experienced with him."

TOTTENHAM

Spurs coach Martin Jol:
"It's against everything we believe, we have very good players in that area. I think we're just fine."

WEST BROM

West Brom manager Bryan Robson: "Everyone in the Premiership will have an interest in Roy Keane.

"I have tried to phone Roy but all I kept getting was his answer machine. If he wants to come to West Brom, I will try to make it happen with the chairman."

WEST HAM

West Ham boss Alan Pardew:
"I wouldn't dismiss it. I haven't explored what Roy wants to do because that's probably what will happen - it will be what Roy wants to do.

"But certainly I haven't closed the door on bringing a player of his stature to this club because that is the sort of player we want to look at."

WIGAN

Wigan chairman Dave Whelan:
"If Paul Jewell came to me and said to me can we go and sign Roy Keane I'll back him.

"They all say he will go to Celtic, but let's wait and see."

MOVING ABROAD

Italian sides Juventus and Roma were both said to be interested in bringing Keane to Serie A.

However a Juventus spokesman said: "Juventus is very strong right now and we do not need any more players."

And Roma sporting director Daniele Prade added: "We have never been in contact with Roy Keane or his agent because he is a player that doesn't interest us, not now or in the future."

High-flying Fiorentina are also reportedly interested in Keane.