Rovers snap up van Heerden
02 Jun 2009 - 09:23:30
Blackburn Rovers manager Sam Allardyce has made South Africa international Elrio van Heerden his first signing of the summer.
The 25-year-old, who moves to Ewood Park on a free transfer from Club Brugge, has penned a two-year deal with Rovers.
He started his professional career at FC Copenhagen and has spent the last three seasons in Belgium.
Van Heerden has been named in the South Africa squad for this month's Confederations Cup.
Meanwhile, Allardyce has rubbished suggestions that a host of big-name players will be leaving Rovers this summer.
The former Bolton Wanderers and Newcastle United manager insisted on the club's official website: "We're looking to build a squad here, rather than dismantle one, so no-one will be leaving this summer unless I feel it's in the best interests of this football club.
"I've made no secret of the fact there's some rebuilding work to be done so, to that end, there will be some comings and goings.
"However, the plan is to build a team around some of the key players we already have here. The majority of them are on decent length contracts so I'm quite relaxed about the situation."