El-Hadji Diouf is set to reunite with Sam Allardyce after Blackburn Rovers completed a £2million deal for the Sunderland striker.

Diouf leaves Wearside only six months after completing a £2.5million move from Bolton Wanderers, although he will not be available for the trip to Middlesbrough tomorrow as Blackburn failed to complete the transfer by the noon deadline.

"He is a talented player," Allardyce said. "He can be a little wayward, as everybody knows, but hopefully I'll be able to control him as much as I did when I was at Bolton."

"He can play a few positions, down the right, down the left, as well as along the front. I'm hoping he can come and give me the kind of performances he gave at Bolton. At 26, he is in the prime of his career.

Allardyce added: "In the time I spent with him we always finished in the top half of the Premier League, no lower than eighth, and we played in Europe.

"Hopefully he can bring his ability, his trickery to Ewood Park, and delight some of the Blackburn fans."

"If he goes and plays to his best then they (the fans) will soon take to him because he is talented.

"I just have to make sure he's ready and available, and he produces the best he can, because his best is very good - and normally it doesn't come this cheap."