GRAEME Souness today expressed his delight at snapping up the Perugia striker Jay Bothroyd in a transfer-deadline busting deal.

The Blackburn Rovers manager swooped to sign the 22-year-old on a season-long loan yesterday just hours before the transfer window slammed shut.

But Dwight Yorke's Blackburn career has come to an abrupt end after Souness sanctioned the ex-Trindad and Tobago international's shock move to Birmingham City last night.

Yorke had originally been given permission to speak to Celtic yesterday and he looked all set to sign for the Bhoys after opening talks with Martin O'Neill in Glasgow.

But Birmingham boss Steve Bruce then entered the fray with an offer for the 32-year-old at three o'clock yesterday afternoon.

And Yorke then made a dramatic u-turn, finally agreeing to join the Blues just 10 minutes before the midnight deadline.

The move came out of the blue given that Souness had described Yorke as his 'number one striker' just two and a half weeks ago.

However, the former Manchester United striker had apparently expressed his disappointment at being left on the bench for Rovers' last two games and Souness decided he was willing to listen to offers if he could find a suitable replacement.

That's when a deal for Bothroyd suddenly became a possibility and Souness is genuinely excited by the prospect of the former Coventry and Arsenal striker linking up with his squad for the rest of the season, with a view to a permanent transfer if everything works out.

"He's a young player we've been aware of for quite a while," said the Rovers boss.

"He has scored goals in Serie A and it is a hard league to score goals in."