GRAEME Le Saux made a sensational return to Chelsea today in a shock multi-million pound move.

A Press conference was announced at Stamford Bridge, with the London club ready to reveal they had signed the unsettled Blackburn Rovers and England defender.

The fee is £5 million, with Chelsea having sold Le Saux to Rovers in March 1993 in a package deal worth just £650,000.

Le Saux said: "It all happened very quickly. I've been aware of all the interest but flattering though it is, Chelsea proved how much they were interested in me.

"So many things have changed for both the club and myself since I was first here. Things happened in the past but that's all over now and I want to look to the future.

"There has been talk that I have said that Blackburn lacked ambition - that has only been based on the last two seasons. You have a relationship with a club and you try your best to fulfil that. But when the perimeters change you have to adapt to that."

Gullit said: "It's still a lot of money but £7million was obviously too much. I wanted him as a player but I didn't want to pay that amount because I didn't have it.

"But when the fee dropped we were obviously interested. Graeme is an international and I think he's already shown people what he is capable of."

Rovers originally put a fee of £7.5 million on Le Saux, following his transfer request. But, clearly, they have decided that it would be in the club's best interests for him to move on and Roy Hodgson said today: "I was resigned to losing him after the first telephone conversation we had in March.

"In April we had an hour long conversation and I was even more convinced

"It was just a matter of time."

Earlier this week, he was involved in a training ground confrontation with assistant manager Tony Parkes.

Meanwhile, Roy Hodgson faces his day of destiny at Ewood tomorrow when Blackburn Rovers' new boss sends out his first Premiership selection against Derby County.

But there are so many imponderables, it's impossible to predict just what the shape of that side will be.

And Rovers were racing against today's noon deadline to register back-up keeper Michael Watt on a three-month loan from Aberdeen.

Hodgson is definitely without goalkeeper Tim Flowers and skipper Tim Sherwood through injury and suspension.

But his crunch decisions will come in other areas, notably the centre of defence and up front.

Colin Hendry has bounced back from ankle surgery but Henning Berg has been ruled out.

Similarly, new £2 million striker Martin Dahlin scored for Sweden on Wednesday but has missed a lot of the build-up work with Chris Sutton and Kevin Gallacher well ahead of him in fitness terms.

Hodgson also has to decide who gets the midfield berths.

It looks like any two from Garry Flitcroft, Billy McKinlay, Anders Andersson and Lars Bohinen with Stuart Ripley and Jason Wilcox prime candidates for the wing roles. At the back, it's a similar choice with a potential pairing of Ian Pearce and Stephane Henchoz depending on the other fitness reports.

Henchoz has really impressed since his move from Hamburg, while, of the other summer signings, £700,000 goalkeeper John Filan is a certain starter and he is looking forward to his Rovers bow.

Filan played 17 first team games for Coventry but only had a brief Premiership outing last season, as a substitute for Steve Ogrizovic

The injury to Tim Flowers has handed him an unexpected early opportunity and he means to take it.

"I came to the club knowing the situation and I am here to do a job, I didn't come for a holiday," he said.

"Hopefully I can settle in quickly. I'm happy to have the chance of playing, even though it must be disappointing for Tim, and I am hoping to do well.

"We've been working hard and I have felt part of the side through playing in the pre-season games. I'm looking forward to it."

Filan has done well in the pre-season games and, like the other new boys, will get a warm welcome from the fans.

Derby, like Rovers, have some injury problems to check before finalising their squad.

The main doubts concern midfielder Aljosa Asanovic and forwards Dean Sturridge and Ron Willems.

It could mean a debut for Italian import Francesco Baiano, signed from Fiorentina a week ago.

Graham Fenton's £1.1 million move to Leicester, which we revealed last night, was expected to be sealed at Filbert Street this morning.

The striker had been set to join West Bromwich Albion but that deal had dragged on for a week.

When Leicester moved in, Fenton opted to stay in the Premiership rather than step down a division with West Brom.

The Ewood ticket office will stay open until 7pm tonight. Tickets are currently available for the first four Premiership fixtures.

Fans can buy seats for tomorrow's game right up to kick-off time.

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