Tottenham and any other interested parties have been given 24 hours to complete the signing of Robbie Keane from Leeds.

Keane is frustrated at the lack of opportunities for first-team action at Elland Road and wants to quit the club, but Leeds coach Terry Venables needs time to sign a replacement before Saturday’s deadline and has insisted that any deal for Keane must be resolved in the next24 hours.

If no firm offers have been received within that time-frame, Keane, who has attracted the attention of Tottenham andSunderland, will stay with Leeds.

Venables has a list of transfer targets, including Australian Brett Emerton but will only be in a position to buy if Leeds sell Keane beforehand.

Venables said: ‘There has to be a deadline and if anything is going to happen then I have to be ready.

‘I have to get my ducks in line just in case something happens in the next few days. I don’t want one of the ducks just for the sake of it, I want a top duck. I may decide to say ‘no’ and prefer to keep the money until January.’