BBC SPORT | Football | Teams | Blackburn Rovers

Blackburn Rovers have agreed a deal to sign Manchester United's out-of-favour striker Dwight Yorke.

The clubs have finally agreed a deal for the Trinidadian striker after weeks of haggling over his fee.

United wanted �6m for Yorke but Blackburn will pay a fee of �2m rising to �2.6m depending on appearances and team performance, according to BBC Radio Lancashire.

"I can't wait to get going - this is a new start for me and I am determined to grasp the opportunity," Yorke said.

"It has been a little frustrating over the past year or so, but all that is history.

"My aim is to get back among the goals and help Rovers move forward.

Dwight is a player I have targeted for some time - he is a top quality player with a proven track record

Graeme Souness
Blackburn boss

"There's a passion deep inside me that wants to do well and I'm desperate to re-establish myself in the Premiership."

Blackburn boss Graeme Souness was relieved to finally secure Yorke's signature.

"Dwight is a player I have targeted for some time and it is tremendous news he has signed for us," Souness said.

"I am delighted. He is a top quality player with a proven track record who can only be an asset as we look to go forward."

Yorke had not made a competitive appearance for United since the FA Cup defeat at Middlesbrough in January.

Sir Alex Ferguson has been looking to offload him for about a year and did not allocate him a squad number for next season.

Yorke was United's record signing when he joined them from Aston Villa for �12.6m in August 1998.

Blackburn striker Andy Cole
Yorke will be re-united with Cole
The 30-year-old will now be re-united with his former United team-mate Andy Cole, who moved to Blackburn last season.

The pair helped fire United to the Treble in 1999 in Yorke's first season at the club, when they scored 53 goals between them.

Souness had been keen to bring in another striker as Matt Jansen will miss the start of the season after being involved in a road accident while on holiday in Italy.

Yorke's departure leaves Sir Alex Ferguson with just three front-line strikers.

Although chief executive Peter Kenyon insisted earlier this week that there would be no more signings, the United boss may want to strengthen his striking options.

He failed last January with a bid for West Ham's Paolo di Canio and may now move back into the transfer market.

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