• Free agent has trained with Sam Allardyce’s side
• We think he will be OK to play for us, says manager

The former Manchester City and Portsmouth striker Benjani Mwaruwari looks set to join Blackburn Rovers.

Benjani, who is a free agent, has been training with the squad in the hope of agreeing a deal. Speaking ahead of their match against Arsenal tomorrow, the Rovers manager, Sam Allardyce, said: “We are trying to sign him on a contract because of his wealth of experience.

“He has trained with us a few days. He has shown us that we think he will be OK to play for us in the Premier League. So we are trying to sort something out.”

Benjani spent the second part of last season on loan from City to Sunderland but started only one Premier League game.

Blackburn RoversTransfer windowguardian.co.uk

• Striker joins Blackburn on season-long deal
• Senegal Under-21 striker could face Hearts in friendly

Blackburn Rovers have reached a deal with Manchester United to take the striker Mame Biram Diouf on a season-long loan deal.

The 22-year-old arrives at Ewood Park a year after joining United from the Norwegian side Molde, where he attracted the attention of Sir Alex Ferguson with a return of 33 goals in 75 games. The Senegal international made six appearances for United last season, scoring one goal.

Blackburn have been desperately seeking to add to their forward line following the departure of Benni McCarthy to West Ham United in last season’s winter transfer window and the return of the loanee Franco Di Santo to Chelsea at the end of the campaign.

Diouf could be thrown straight into the mix for Rovers’ friendly against Hearts tomorrow. He is then due to join up with the Senegal Under-21 squad for a match on Tuesday.

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