TEENAGE sensation Jim Corbett has arrived at Ewood Park as the first part of Rovers' summer recruitment drive.

The 17-year-old Gillingham winger has agreed a five-year contract with a further two year option after Rovers agreed to pay the Second Division club £525,000 up front with the deal rising to £1m depending on appearances.

And club officials confirmed that Corbett-already dubbed the next Ryan Giggs-will be followed by more new faces as manager Roy Hodgson looks to reinforce his squad for a twin assault on domestic and European honours.

"This is the first of a number of signings we expect to announce in the coming weeks," revealed chief executive John Williams, who has confirmed that Blackburn have checked out Italian striker Carmine Esposito as a potential target.

And assistant manager Tony Parkes added that the club were looking at both ends of the spectrum in their bid to compete with the best.

"We are more than pleased that Jimmy has joined us as a 17-year-old," said Parkes. "As well as looking at the five, six and seven million pound players which we obviously need to improve Blackburn Rovers to championship material we are still looking at 17 and 18-year-old players, not only in this country but in countries a few more miles away. "We are pleased that he is only 17 and it shows that we need young players as much as established players and I am sure that Jim will establish his own identity in the months ahead."

Hodgson was at an FA management and coaches seminar as Corbett was introduced to the media but Parkes, who praised the club's scouting network for unearthing a player who has started just eight Football League games, outlined the youngster's appeal.

He added: "The manager saw him play after the scouts had alerted us and what he saw he was impressed with and from then we wanted him at Blackburn Rovers. Without putting too much pressure on him I did see that he could become the next Ryan Giggs so when people are talking in those terms he's a skillful winger.

"We need a little bit of pace around the place, that goes without saying. With a 17-year-old you are buying great potential so we look forward to working with him and seeing him progress into a Premier League player with Blackburn Rovers.

"We think goals are scored by wingers crossing balls and beating full-backs. I think whatever changes in the game that never changes."

Corbett can play on either wing but with Damien Duff and Jason Wilcox laying claim to the left wing berth he may start as an understudy to Stuart Ripley. And although he will not be regarded as the finished product at Premiership level it may not be too long before Corbett figures in the first team picture.

"He will be training with good players in the Premiership and that will help his cause to become a first-team player very quickly," added Parkes.

Rovers beat Aston Villa, Tottenham, Nottingham Forest and Newcastle to clinch the signing of the brightest young talent in the Nationwide League.

"Each and everyone had asked for an opportunity should they be able to reach agreement with the club to speak to him," confirmed the player's agent Andrew Mills.

"Jim and myself have been very impressed with the staff at Blackburn and they have done a job to secure his signature because there were a number of people champing at the bit to get him." Corbett spent two days with the Rovers staff as the deal was thrashed out and after walking on the pitch for the first time he insisted: "You have got to be confident (they will win something) but all you have to do is look round the club and it was not really that hard a decision to make."

Corbett, who sold programmes at Priestfield before joining the staff, only made his Gillingham debut in February and figured in a total of 18 games between then and the end of the season.

"Five months ago I was still a YTS at Gillingham. It's happened so fast it's been unbelievable. It's a dream and I don't think it's really sunk in yet."

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