Besiktas have launched a bid to sign Robbie Keane on loan from Spurs, according to reports.

The Turkish club would be able to offer the Republic of Ireland captain the first-team football he craves but has found in short supply since returning to Spurs from Liverpool.

Harry Redknapp, who brought Keane back to White Hart Lane in February last year, has preferred to use Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch and Roman Pavlyuchenko, and letting fringe players leave would make room in his 25-man Premier League squad for other options.

Republic of Ireland captain Keane was loaned to Celtic for the second half of last season and he has been repeatedly linked with another temporary move away from White Hart Lane.

Keane is a target of West Ham manager Avram Grant, who knows Redknapp from their time together at Portsmouth, and it is thought Spurs could offer the forward as bait in their last-ditch attempts to land midfielder Scott Parker.

Besiktas, though, have hopes to scupper any deal, as they are eager to take 30-year-old to Istanbul according to skysports.com.

The Turkish club are known to be seeking attacking reinforcements and were showing interest in Manchester City forward Robinho.