Biography
Will Keane was a £1 million signing during the August 2016 transfer window, acquired to add depth to City’s sparse frontline after the preceding summer’s transfer inactivity. City boss Mike Phelan immediately thrust Keane into the first team but he failed to make a strong impression or score any goals. He suffered a season-ending knee injury early in the first half against Southampton in early November 2016, making his return a full 14 months later in a January 2018 away defeat at Sunderland. Progress on his return was limited, but he did contribute his first goal with a point blank finish during City’s April drubbing of Burton Albion. He was a bench sitter for much of the 2018/19 season, occasionally starting when Fraizer Campbell was absent. In early January 2019 he joined Ipswich Town on loan for the rest of the season and left City when his three year contract expired the following May.
William David Keane, twin brother of England international defender Michael Keane, was born in Stockport and came through the youth team ranks at Manchester United. He made his senior debut for the Reds on New Year’s Eve 2011, a Premier League defeat at Blackburn Rovers, then sought more first team experience during the 2013/14 season with loan spells at Wigan Athletic (four appearances) and Queens Park Rangers (ten appearances). Will spent the second half of the 2014/15 season on loan at Sheffield Wednesday and scored three goals in 13 appearances, his first senior goal coming from the penalty spot in a February 2015 draw against Cardiff City. Keane was on the move again in the 2015/16 season, spending the first five months of the season on loan at Preston North End where he scored two goals in 22 appearances. Returning to Old Trafford for the last half of the season, Will made two further senior appearances for the Reds in February 2016, a Premier League match at Sunderland and an FA Cup tie against Shrewsbury Town. He left Manchester United for Hull City in the opening weeks of the following season.
Having spent the latter half of the 2018/19 season on loan at Ipswich, scoring three goals in 12 appearances, Keane signed a one year deal for the newly-relegated Tractor Boys in August 2019, but was released a year later having added six goals in 29 appearances. In October 2020 Will returned to his North West roots, signing an initial short term deal at Wigan Athletic that soon turned into a longer term deal. At Wigan Keane found the best form of his career, hitting 11 goals in 34 appearances during the 2020/21 season as the Latics eased away from the relegation zone after a poor start. Having suffered a messy financial crash, Wigan recovered for the 2021/22 season and Keane had the best season of his career in terms of goals scored, regular starts and international recognition.
Will Keane played for England at every under-age level (under 16, 17, 19, 20, 21). His first under-16 cap came in April 2009 against Germany and by November 2011 he had graduated to the Under-21 side, making three appearances over a four month spell in the squad against Iceland and Belgium (twice). However he never progressed further than England’s Under-21s and a decade later in October 2021 Will was chosen for the Republic of Ireland senior squad, qualifying through his Irish-born father. He made his full international debut in a World Cup qualifier against Portugal and added a second senior cap in a March 2022 friendly against Belgium, having achieved an impressive seasonal goal tally for his club Wigan Athletic.
Details
Nationality: England
Date/Place of Birth: 11 January 1993, Stockport
Hull City First Game: 10 September 2016, Burnley A (Premier League), 23 years, 243 days old
Hull City Final Game: 29 December 2018, Leeds United A (Championship), 25 years,352 days old
Clubs
Manchester United (2011-2016), Wigan Athletic (2013, loan), Queens Park Rangers (2014, loan), Sheffield Wednesday (2015, loan), Preston North End (2015, loan), Hull City (2016-2019), Ipswich Town (2019, loan), Ipswich Town (2019-2020), Wigan Athletic (2020-current)
Hull City Record
Career: 26 apps, 1 goals
Will Keane| Season | LGE App | LGE Gls | FAC App | FAC Gls | FLC App | FLC Gls | EUR App | EUR Gls | OTH App | OTH Gls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016/17 | 4 (1) | 0 | - | - | 1 (0) | 0 | - | - | - | - |
| 2017/18 | 3 (6) | 1 | 0 (1) | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2018/19 | 1 (7) | 0 | - | - | 2 (0) | 0 | - | - | - | - |