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Keane spent a spell in the Serie A at Inter Milan earlier in his career

Keane set for Italian job sequel?

The Ireland skipper is on a Juventus wish-list

IRELAND STRIKER ROBBIE Keane is in the mix for a glamour move to Turin as Serie A giants Juventus ponder January’s transfer window.

The unsettled Tottenham forward is among three names on Luigi Delneri’s shopping list; Wolfsburg’s Edin Dzeko and Fiorentina’s Alberto Gilardino are his preferred targets, according to Italian newspaper the Corriere dello Sport.

Dzeko is also a target for big-spending Manchester City, while Azzurri star Gilardino wants to see out his contract with his current employers, according to this morning’s Irish Independent.

Keane, theref0re – has popped up on the radar as an alternative, with Spurs open to either permanent or loan offers.

The Irish Times Italy correspondent Paddy Agnew earlier explained on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland that Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni – ‘an historic figure’ at Juventus – keeps close links with the club and still wields influence at the Stadio Della Alpi.

Keane, of course, spent time with Inter Milan in 2000/01 before he was shown the door – by Trap’s assistant Marco Tardelli.

However, new Aston Villa boss Gerard Houllier will swoop for the Tallaght man if he fails to reunite Manchester United striker Michael Owen with his old Anfield and England partner Emile Heskey in the Villa attack, according to Metro.

The former Newcastle man is currently out of favour at Old Trafford and looks set to leave at the end of his contract in the summer.

The approach from Villa could be green-lighted by Spurs boss Harry Redknapp – although he will, reportedly, test the water for Villa winger Ashley Young if Houllier comes calling.