BLACKBURN Rovers manager Mark Hughes today revealed the truth behind his decision to pull out of a deal to sign the Egyptian international Mido, insisting the temperamental striker priced himself out of a move to Ewood Park.

Hughes spent most of the summer trying to land the 23-year-old forward as he looked to fill the void created by Craig Bellamy's shock departure to Liverpool.

But, after countless hours of protracted negotiations, the Rovers boss finally lost patience with the former Roma star and decided to scrap his interest, which prompted him to swoop for Benni McCarthy instead.

Ironically, weeks later, Mido did finally secure a permanent move to the Premiership when he agreed to join Tottenham Hotspur following a successful spell on loan there the previous season.

But Hughes has no regrets about missing out on the powerful frontman, who faces a potential shootout with McCarthy tomorrow when Rovers and Spurs meet at Ewood in front of the Sky TV cameras.

"I'm happy enough with the guys I was able to bring into the club," said Hughes, reflecting on his summer transfer business.

"We spent lot of time pursuing Mido. In the end, it was probably too much time, and it came to a point where we had to walk away from it.

"But I'm sure he's happy with how it panned out for him, and I think we are happy as well."

At one stage, Hughes even flew over to Italy to meet Mido face-to-face, but as he closed in on a deal, it eventually became apparent that the player's personal demands were proving too prohibitive.

"On occasions, I thought we were very close but, for whatever reason, it didn't happen," said the Rovers boss.

"It was difficult - probably one of the most difficult transfers I've ever been involved in.

"I went out there to meet him, we came close, but it wasn't to be, and these things happen.

"The negotiations just went on and on and, in the end, we felt it wouldn't have reached the conclusion we wanted."

Missing out on Mido has perhaps proved a blessing in disguise for Hughes because, while the Egyptian has hardly set the world alight at White Hart Lane so far this season, McCarthy, on the other hand, has scored seven times for Rovers to make him the club's top scorer.

Wind the clock back eight months, though, and it was a Mido strike that effectively cost Rovers fifth place in the Premiership - and an extra £500,000 in prize money.

Both teams were gunning for a place in Europe when they last met in the league, at White Hart Lane, in March.

But after playing Spurs off the park for long spells that day, Rovers were eventually floored by Mido's sucker punch, the striker grabbing an unlikely winner in a 3-2 victory, which effectively ensured the London club finished two points better off in the final league table.

"We played exceptionally well that day," recalls Hughes.

"Most people who watched that game must have wondered how we got beat in the end. But we did.

"We took confidence, though, from the way we performed, and I think that's what we'll do leading into this game tomorrow, because I thought our performance against Manchester United (last week) was fine.

"We were up against the current form side in the Premier League and we gave them a run for their money.

"Our home form has been good. We won our last game in Europe, and our performances against Bolton and United were two of our better ones this year as well.

"So our home form's not a real concern, we just need to start getting more points on the board."

* Are you pleased Rovers didn't land Mido? Submit your comments below.