BLACKBURN Rovers today completed the signing of Leeds United defender Dominic Matteo.

After weeks of careful negotiating, Rovers boss Graeme Souness finally got his man on a three year deal this morning.

The 30-year-old Scotland international became Rovers' third major signing of the summer following the earlier captures of Paul Dickov and Javier De Pedro.

Souness spent most of the summer pursuing Matteo and the former Liverpool is now in line to make his Rovers debut on the club's pre-season tour of Germany.

Identifying his reasons for signing the Leeds skipper, Souness said last week: "Dominic would give us cover in a number of positions because he can play as a defensive midfielder, as a left-back or, indeed, anywhere across the back four.

"It's that kind of versatility which appeals to me."

Rovers will now look to off-set the costs of Matteo's arrival by shipping out some of the players who won't be figuring in Souness's plans next season.

Andy Todd and Dwight Yorke are the two players most likely to be moving on if new clubs can be found for them.

In the meantime, Rovers began pre-season training today and everyone was expected back at Brockhall, apart from Brett Emerton who has been given an extra couple of days off due to his international commitments over the summer.

Dickov and De Pedro were expected to meet up with their new team-mates for the first time and David Thompson, Barry Ferguson and Jay McEveley, who all missed the second half of last season through injury, were also due to join in with the rest of the senior squad.

Pre-season training also started today for the club's Academy players under the guidance of new youth team coach Gary Bowyer.

Bowyer has quit his post at Derby County to take charge of Rovers' youth team.

He replaces Ian Miller who accepted an offer to become Colin Hendry's new first team coach at Blackpool earlier in the summer.

Meanwhile, the full details of Rovers' pre-season tour of Southern Germany have now been confirmed.

In a change to the previously announced itinerary, Rovers now kick-off their tour with a game against SG Schorndorf at the SG-Stadion, Schorndorf, on Friday July 16th, with a 5.00pm kick-off local time.

Four days later, July 20th, Rovers then take part in a four team mini-tournament at Stadion Kreuzeiche, Reutlingen.

The four teams involved are Rovers, SSV Reutlingen 05, SSV Ulm 46 and the Albanian National Side. Kaiserlautern, who were originally expected to be involved, have now dropped out.

Rovers face SSV Reutlingen 05 in the first game, the winners of which will take on either Albania or SSV Ulm.

Friday 23rd sees the winners of the SSV Reutlingen tournament take on the winners of a nearby tournament. Teams from that competition consist of Bohemians Prague, Birmingham City, FC Erzgebirge Aue and SpVgg Weiden.

The matches at the Donaustadium, Ulm, start at 6.30pm local time.