Emerton 'an excellent player' - Feyenoord chief

Blackburn have signed an excellent player in Brett Emerton, according to his former club Feyenoord’s technical director Rob Baan.

The 24-year-old Australian midfielder today completed a move to the Lancashire club, agreeing a four-year contract, and Baan believes Rovers will see the very best of him.

He told Sky Sports News: “We used him as a right-back or right side of midfield and I think he can do that job very well for Blackburn.

“His passing is excellent and above that he can also provide very good crosses as well as goals.”

Emerton was close to a move to Newcastle last summer and Baan admitted the money they have accepted from Rovers is far less than they quoted the Magpies because the player only has one year left on his contract with the Rotterdam club.

“Everybody knows Newcastle were interested and we could have had much more money at that time but we couldn’t get the bank guarantees. The offer from Blackburn is much less than we expected before.

“But all parties are happy, we are happy as we only had one year on his contract left.

“I hope Brett does very well and if one player deserves to do well it is Brett Emerton.

“He has been one of our best players but from the beginning Brett told us he wanted to play in the Premier League and that Feyenoord would be the first step. We all realised the next step would be England.”

Rovers chief executive John Williams revealed the Lancashire club were “absolutely delighted” with Emerton’s arrival.

Manager Graeme Souness saw the need to strengthen his squad after the departures of David Dunn and Keith Gillespie.

Dunn joined Birmingham for a fee believed to be around £5.5m (€7.9m) – and Souness used the majority of that money to draft in Australian ace Emerton.

Gillespie left Blackburn this week to join Leicester after four and a half years at Ewood Park.

Souness is also hoping to draft in defenders Lorenzo Amoruso and Vratislav Gresko, who played on loan at Ewood Park from Parma in the latter part of last season.