Revolution at Keepmoat gathers pace with Ilunga deal

CONGO international defender Herita Ilunga has joined the Dean Saunders revolution at Doncaster Rovers.

The West Ham United left-back has signed a three-month loan deal and arrives at the Championship club just a week after former Tottenham Hotspur and Wigan Athletic defender Pascal Chimbonda.

Saunders is also running the rule over French midfielder Herold Goulon, on trial from Blackburn Rovers, and aims to complete a third signing before his side’s next game against Leeds United on October 14.

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Rovers are also in talks with West Ham striker Frederic Piquionne over a possible loan deal.

Piquionne, 32, is a one-time French international whose previous clubs include Portsmouth, Monaco and Saint Etienne.

Ilunga, 29, has spent the last three years at West Ham, playing 66 first-team games, and his contract is not due to expire until summer 2013.

However, Saunders told the Yorkshire Post that the deal will cost Rovers ‘hardly anything’ in wages.

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“I know that we have not got a lot of money – but we are paying hardly anything towards his wages,” he said. “I need to thank Sam Allardyce (West Ham’s manager) for doing me a favour on this.

“I am really pleased that we have been able to get two players of the standard of Ilunga and Chimbonda for the money we are paying.

“Both are Premier League players who will add a bit of quality competition to the squad,” he said. “They are not guaranteed a shirt, they will have to earn it, but importantly they are coming here with no mental baggage because they have not been losing games.”

Saunders will make a decision on Goulon in the next few days and was relatively happy with his performance in a 3-2 victory yesterday over Sheffield Wednesday in a private friendly.

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Chimbonda was unable to play due to a family matter but should be fit enough to make his debut, if selected, against Leeds.

With no league fixture this weekend because of the international break, Saunders will be taking his players to Manchester United’s training ground on Friday for another private friendly.

When Saunders replaced Sean O’Driscoll as manager only 12 days ago, Rovers had gone 19 games without a win and were sitting bottom of the Championship table. They have since picked up seven points from three league games under Saunders and climbed four places.

“I am still getting to know the players but I have been delighted with the response,” said Saunders.

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“They have given everything in the three games so far and fortune sometimes favours the brave.

“I also have to thank the supporters,” he added. “They were brilliant during our game at Peterborough last weekend and I couldn’t believe how many travelled such a long way.”

Last night, Real Madrid midfielder Lianna Diarra was also linked with Rovers. However, the former Portsmouth and Arsenal midfielder has started his side’s last three games in La Liga and was a used substitute for last week’s Champions League tie against Ajax.

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