NEW Blackburn Rovers striker Luke Varney has vowed to repay Gary Bowyer after rescuing him from his Leeds United turmoil.

The 31-year-old was set to join Rovers in the final week of the January transfer window only for new Leeds owner Massimo Cellino to block the deal.

But Rovers boss Bowyer managed to resurrect the deal once the window for loan signings reopened on Saturday morning.

“I’m delighted to finally be here,” said Varney, who made his Rovers debut in the 0-0 draw at Middlesbrough just hours after his loan switch from Leeds was rubber stamped.

“I’ve had a lot of conversations with the club and the manager and I’m happy to get it over the line after a week of turmoil at Leeds.

“Once it was made aware that I might not get a new contract at Leeds they stopped playing me so I understood I would have to move on and I was delighted when I heard of the interest from Blackburn.

“I would have come as soon as I could but obviously the turmoil at Leeds stopped me.

“I’m just really pleased to be here now.”

“I can put all of what’s happened behind me and use that, not anger, but there’s a lot inside that I need to get out and I’m hoping to do that on the pitch for Blackburn.

“The gaffer has given me a great chance and I’m hoping to repay that faith soon.”

Varney will remain on loan at Rovers until May 11 but he is expected to sign a permanent deal once his contract from Leeds runs out in the summer.

Such was Varney’s desperation to join Rovers he asked not to play in Leeds’ home clash with Ipswich Town on January 28 in fear of sustaining an injury and jeopardising a move that was seemingly dead in the water after Cellino’s intervention.

“It’s been well documented that I’ve been trying to get out of Leeds for a while,” said Varney, who made just one appearance in his last two months at the Elland Road.

“I lost my motivation at Leeds and I’m a very positive person so for me to do that shows something had gone wrong.”

Reinvigorated Varney, who counts Crewe Alexandra, Blackpool and Portsmouth among his former clubs, is now fired up to help Rovers into the Championship play-offs.

He already feels at home at Ewood Park having worked with Bowyer’s assistant manager Terry McPhillips at Crewe and goalkeeper coach John Keeley and strength and conditioning coach Chris Neville at Portsmouth.

“I know some of the staff and that can only help,” said Varney, who can also play out wide as well as up front.

“I’ve felt wanted from the second I walked into the building and that’s really important.

“Hopefully I can pay them back and put some good performances in.”