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However, after meeting clubs such as Real Madrid, Bolton and Everton, the Cork man signed an 18-month deal with Celtic which will keep him at the club until the summer of 2007.
Speculation abounded that Celtic's majority shareholder Dermot Desmond would be paying half of Keane's reported wages of £40,000 per week.
However, Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell claimed Dermot would make 'no financial contribution' and insisted the Old Trafford legend was not breaking any existing pay structures at Parkhead.
Keane backed those claims up by insisting his move to Glasgow was inspired by football reasons rather than financial considerations.
He said: "Football has been good to me. If it was about money, I wouldn't have gone to Manchester United when I left Nottingham Forest.
"I could have left United many times over the years when my contract expired and they will tell you that. But if you concentrate on your football and following your gut feeling then the rest will follow.
"Money comes into the package and I leave that to my solicitor to negotiate but as far as I'm concerned it's about what is the best for me in terms of football.
"There is a new mentality in terms of money being the priority for some players but it never has been for me and believe me it never will be," he added.