London, Feb 03: Tottenham Hotspur continued their policy of buying back former players on Monday when Robbie Keane returned to the club seven months after leaving in a 19 million pounds (USD 26.90 million) move to Liverpool. Media reports suggested Keane rejoined the Spurs for USD17 million and he could begin his second spell at the Premier League club this weekend when Tottenham face north London rivals Arsenal.
Media reports suggested Keane rejoined the Spurs for USD17 million and he could begin his second spell at the Premier Arsenal themselves were sweating on completing a deal for Zenit St Petersburg playmaker Andrei Arshavin after the transfer window officially closed.
Arshavin passed a medical in snowbound London and the two clubs were reported to have agreed a fee but hold-ups with Premier League paperwork meant the transfer was expected to be given the green light on Tuesday.
Keane's move back to Tottenham, who also brought striker Jermain Defoe and defender Pascal Chimbonda back to White Hart Lane in January, was the biggest deal of a final day of trading that produced few headline-grabbing big-money transfers.
"It was a difficult decision to make to leave Tottenham in the summer," said Keane, whose "dream move" to Liverpool turned sour. "It proved not to be the right move for me. I know some Spurs fans will feel I let them down by leaving but I can assure them I shall be giving my all for this club."
Abu Dhabi-backed Manchester City, along with Tottenham, have been the most active side in the January market but their only involvement on Monday was to send surplus Brazil striker Jo out on loan to Everton for the rest of the season.
Chelsea's lack of spending after years of splashing Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich's cash has been a surprise considering their injuries and lack of form, although they stepped in late on Monday to agree a loan move for Inter Milan winger Ricardo Quaresma.
England's top-flight clubs were granted a conditional extension to the transfer window deadline on Monday because of heavy snowfall which had brought transport systems across the country to a standstill.
Three hours before the 1700 GMT deadline the Premier League said that extensions would be granted to clubs sending an email confirming "that a deal has been agreed in principle".
There was plenty of shuffling between the Premier League's lesser lights on Monday.
Wigan Athletic came to the rescue of French midfielder Charles N'Zogbia who last week said he would never play for Newcastle United again while manager Joe Kinnear was in charge because of what he described as an insult.
N'Zogbia swapped places with Ryan Taylor who moved in the opposite direction.
Wigan allowed Stoke City to take striker Henri Camara on loan while bottom club West Bromwich Albion bolstered their ranks with loan deals for Youssouf Mulumbu of Paris St Germain and Juan Carlos Menseguez from San Lorenzo.
Former France international Olivier Dacourt, a familiar face around Premier League stadiums after spells at Everton and Leeds United, joined Fulham on loan from Inter Milan.
Portsmouth, who lost both Defoe to Spurs and Lassana Diarra to Real Madrid in January, recruited Angelos Basinas, a former European champion with Greece, on deadline day to aid their battle against relegation.