Yes, but they let him go to Villa because they didn't want him. Then Villa sold him to Everton and then, to my amazement, Arsenal signed him from Everton.
When I saw Keown playing for us he looked like bambi on ice. I was amazed when Arsenal signed him. A very basic defender, Veltman-lite; less composure, less streetwise, more angry.
He's also a very basic analyst.