Manchester United legend Roy Keane reveals surprise Sky Sports punditry exit plan

Roy Keane
Roy Keane (Image credit: Getty Images)

Roy Keane has revealed his punditry exit plans amid claims he is ready to give up his roles in the media world.

Keane - ranked at No.6 in FourFourTwo's list of the best Premier League midfielders of all time - has worked with Sky Sports and ITV Sport since his retirement in 2006 but has since hinted he is considering a future away from football.

The former Manchester United midfielder was attacked whilst at the Emirates Stadium, with Micah Richards forced to step in and help the tough-tackling Irishman.

Roy Keane reveals he is tempted to move to Switzerland in a bid to step away from his punditry duties

DUBLIN, IRELAND - SEPTEMBER 07: ITV pundit, Roy Keane looks on prior to the UEFA Nations League 2024/25 League B Group B2 match between Republic of Ireland and England at Aviva Stadium on September 07, 2024 in Dublin, Ireland. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) Manchester United legend

Roy Keane says he likes the sound of Switzerland (Image credit: Getty Images)

While visiting Turin as part of The Overlap On Tour, Keane admitted: "In the next couple of years, I reckon I will be moving abroad... putting it out there." Sky Sports colleague Jamie Carragher then asked Keane where he would consider moving to.

"Do you know what, Switzerland, maybe? Switzerland is beautiful," responded Keane. Keane's admission comes after he revealed at the start of the season that he is considering quitting punditry.

Roy Keane during an ITV broadcast, January 2024

Roy Keane has been a popular figure on Sky Sports in recent years (Image credit: Alamy)

"I love football but the hassle of matches, getting to games and the hassle of fans – I was in court a few months ago with somebody head-butting me – do you think I enjoy that side of it? Absolutely not," Keane said recently when reflecting on his incident back in September 2023.

"The games are fine. Getting to the games, parking up, people shouting your name – good stuff, bad stuff – it's a nuisance. Being a pundit in 10 years, not."

Reflecting further, Keane was forced to recall the incident in court, adding: "I grappled with him. I said what did you do that for?

"He was saying f*****g this, f*****g that. I grabbed him and moved him down the corridor. I had him. I couldn't hold him for long enough so he run off. I was trying to restrain him until security arrived. He said, 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry'."

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In FourFourTwo's view, Keane would be a huge miss in the media world, but we can see why he is considering time away from our TV screens. Made popular given his ongoing comical spats with Micah Richards, Sky would struggle to find a similar character.

Keane's former side, Manchester United, are back in Premier League action this weekend, as they take on Leicester City at Old Trafford.

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Matthew Holt

Matthew is a Freelance Journalist and has racked up bylines for Manchester United, Manchester Evening News, GOAL and SPORTbible to name a few. A long-term sufferer of Scunthorpe United, he currently resides in the north-west after escaping the smog of North Lincolnshire.