Tottenham have admitted their interest in signing Leeds striker Robbie Keane.

Spurs boss Glenn Hoddle is considering a reported �8m bid for the 22-year-old Republic of Ireland star.

Leeds had agreed to sell Keane to Sunderland earlier this month before the player turned down a move to the Stadium of Light.

White Hart Lane director of football David Pleat disclosed that Keane was on Spurs' transfer shortlist.

"We are keeping abreast of the Robbie Keane situation," Pleat told the London Evening Standard newspaper.

Spurs have already added Jamie Redknapp, Milenko Acimovic, Jonathan Blondel and Rohan Ricketts to their squad.

But Hoddle needs a young attacker to lead his forward line and Keane would provide the ideal solution.

The Ireland striker also faces strong competition at Leeds with Mark Viduka, a known favourite of new boss Terry Venables, Alan Smith, Robbie Fowler and Michael Bridges all vying for starting berths.

If Spurs move from assessing to actually bidding for Keane, they could become the Dublin-born player's fourth club in a frantic three years.

The Wolves trainee joined Midlands rivals Coventry for �6m in 1999 - but was on his way to Inter Milan in a shock �13m deal less than 12 months later.

That move did not work out, prompting a loan back to England with Leeds before the Yorkshire club signed on a permanent basis for �12m in April 2001.

Venables has already cleared some of Leeds' mounting debts following Rio Ferdinand's record-breaking �30m move to Manchester United.

The possible sale of Keane would then free up more funds for Venables to revamp his squad.