Robbie Keane said today it was an easy decision to return to Tottenham because the club feels like home.

Keane joined Liverpool for a fee in excess of £20million last July after six years at White Hart Lane.

But, despite the Reds mounting their most credible title challenge in recent seasons, he struggled for both goals and games as it quickly became clear that he did not fit into Rafael Benitez's preferred formation.

As with Pascal Chimbonda and Jermain Defoe, Spurs boss Harry Redknapp was ready to welcome the player back to White Hart Lane.

And Keane jumped at the chance, completing his move on the final day of the transfer window yesterday.

“Coming back to Spurs was an easy decision to make because this is my home,” said the forward, who during his first spell at the club scored 107 goals in 254 games.

“It's funny how football works sometimes and situations turn around very quickly, but I can assure fans I will be giving my all to make sure this club stays in the Premier League.

“I'm delighted to be back at a club I have very strong feelings from having previously spent six wonderful years here. It would have been difficult for me to have gone anywhere else while a club I have such strong feelings for has this fight on its hands.”

Keane is determined to put his frustrating spell at Anfield behind him by helping to keep Spurs in the Premier League.

“It was a difficult time for me at Liverpool, but there's no point in dwelling on it,” he said. “I am extremely excited about this new chapter in my career, even though it doesn't feel as if the previous chapter really ended.

“Now I have the chance to work with a fantastic manager in Harry Redknapp, who has done a great job since he came in, so I am lucky to be getting this exciting opportunity.

“It's been an up and down season for the club and there's been a lot of change, including a change of manager, but now it's up to us as players to start getting the team up the table.”

Although the signing of Keane is a coup for Redknapp, in reuniting the Republic of Ireland international and Defoe he may have given himself a problem that his predecessors Martin Jol and Juande Ramos struggled to deal with. Defoe will have an operation on a foot injury today, and is likely to be absent for the next 10 weeks, which is why Spurs were so determined to bring back Keane for £16m.

But when Defoe returns, Redknapp must decide whether the two players can play together. Neither Jol nor Ramos thought they could form an effective partnership, and Defoe joined Portsmouth one year ago because he was being kept out of the first team by Keane and Dimitar Berbatov.

Last summer, Redknapp signed Peter Crouch to play alongside Defoe at Portsmouth, and the 26-year-old is at his best alongside a tall forward who can hold the ball up and bring others into the game. The same is true of Keane, whose pairing with Berbatov yielded 91 goals in two seasons, yet the Irishman struggled alongside Fernando Torres, a natural goal scorer like Defoe, at Liverpool.

It is probable, then, that Redknapp has brought back Keane as much for his influence off the pitch as on it. The 28-year-old is a spiky, boisterous presence in the dressing room, and Redknapp has mentioned this season how quiet a squad he has.

Discussing what he expects from Keane, Redknapp said: “Robbie's enthusiasm and his will to win will rub off on his team-mates. He will bring so much to us.

“He gives everything for the team, and that, allied to his ability, makes him a magnificent signing for the club. Jermain Defoe will be out for a while, which is why it was so important for us to bring Robbie in.”