Keane is irreplaceable: Queiroz

Carlos Queiroz has admitted Manchester United cannot hope to replace Roy Keane.

The Red Devils captain stunned his club last night by using a live MUTV phone-in to declare his belief this season would be his last at Old Trafford.

Keane’s current contract is due to expire in the summer and while United officials have not yet decided whether to offer him a new one, the 34-year-old expressed the belief his immediate future lay outside the Premiership, almost certainly with Celtic.

Alex Ferguson has spent the last two years attempting to find a replacement for his talismanic captain, with Kleberson and Eric Djemba-Djemba among those who have tried and failed.

Alan Smith is currently deputising for Keane, who broke his foot at Anfield a fortnight ago, and the Corkman has declared his intention to help his team-mate learn the central midfield role.

However, while Queiroz refused to be side-tracked from tomorrow’s Premiership trip to Fulham by engaging in any debate over whether a new contract offer would be forthcoming, he admited there was no chance of finding a like-for-like replacement for a player of Keane’s stature.

“You don’t replace great players like Pele, Maradona, Eusebio or Roy Keane,” said Ferguson’s assistant. “You just create new players in new teams. That is why the game moves forward.”

Chief executive David Gill was staying tight-lipped at United’s Carrington training ground this morning, although, with Keane free to discuss potential transfers with any club outside England in January, he does not have a lot of time to decide how to move forward.

Privately, senior figures within the United camp accepted prior to the season starting that Keane may leave the club before eventually returning in some kind of coaching capacity.

And, with United able to offer only a one-year ’pay as you play’ deal at best, if Celtic could come up with a two-season offer it would almost certainly be enough to entice Keane to Parkhead.

“We need to concentrate on our priorities,” said Queiroz when asked about Keane’s immediate future.

“As usual, we will look at the situation at the right time, in the right way and then address it in private.”