Blackburn Rovers sign Sporting Lisbon midfielder Simon Vukcevic
Last updated on .From the section Football
Blackburn Rovers have signed midfielder Simon Vukcevic from Sporting Lisbon for an undisclosed fee.
The Montenegro international has agreed a three-year deal at Ewood Park.
The 25-year-old has yet to collect a visa and work permit, but manager Steve Kean hopes he will be available for Saturday's match with Everton.
"He is an exciting player who can play wide on either side. As a character, when you meet him he is a very focused guy," said Kean.
"He likes to take people on, to be the guy who makes a difference, a bit of a match winner. He is a very good player with lots of international games under his belt for country in the top 20, so he has performed at that level at a consistent basis.
"He will give us a different dimension."
"I've watched him a number of times live and if you can get the ball out wide to him and he can isolate a full-back, then it will be hard for anyone to stop him when he is on the run.
"That's exactly the type of player we have been after."
Vukcevic joins having spent four years at Sporting Lisbon after signing for the Portuguese club from Saturn Moscow Oblast for 4m euros (£3.5m) in 2007.
The attacking midfielder is a regular member of the Montenegro side and featured in October's 0-0 Euro 2012 qualifying draw against England.
He becomes Blackburn's fourth summer purchase, the most high-profile of which is David Goodwillie, who cost a reported £2.8m from Dundee United.
And Kean also revealed he is close to signing centre-back George John from Major League Soccer side FC Dallas.
The defender will cost around £1.2m, and Kean said: "All the paperwork with the MLS has been agreed, the player has travelled to Greece to get his passport. Hopefully he will be in the country either Tuesday or Wednesday.
"We've been tracking him through a scout based in the USA. He is 6ft 4in, a commanding defender. He is quick, aggressive, and he has a really bright future."
Jimmy Bullard, available on a free after having his contract at Hull terminated, could also join Rovers, with Kean saying: "I had Bully when I was with Chris Coleman at Fulham, and he is a colourful character.
"But I don't know how his fitness is, whether he has done a full pre-season. But he is a quality player when he is on his game. You never know."
