Blues have today completed the signing of Uruguayan striker Walter Pandiani from Spanish side Deportivo La Coruna for a fee of £3 million.

The 29-year-old has put pen to paper on a three-year deal that will keep him at St. Andrew's until the summer of 2008.

Pandiani enjoyed a successful loan period at Blues during the second half of last season when he notched four goals in 14 appearances, including one on his debut against Southampton and important strikes against Premiership big guns Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal.

Blues boss Steve Bruce and Chief Executive Karren Brady have spent most of the summer trying to conclude the deal to bring the striker to St. Andrew's and their hard work has finally borne fruit this morning.

The acquisition of Pandiani follows the summer purchase of Finnish striker Mikael Forssell to further strengthen the attacking options open to Bruce - whose squad also includes international forwards Emile Heskey and Clinton Morrison - with the new season just eight days away.

Pandiani started his career at Uruguayan club Penarol where he showed early signs of his predatory instinct with 29 goals in 71 games.

He moved on to Deportivo in 2000 and scored 39 goals in 91 appearances in the Spanish league, which included a loan spell with Mallorca in 2002/03 where he won a cup winners' medal.

He also appeared in 37 Champions League games in recent seasons, scoring 11 goals in the competition including a hat-trick against Paris Saint-Germain in March 2001 and the first in a 2-1 win over Manchester United in September of that year.

Pandiani will wear the number eight shirt for Blues during the forthcoming campaign.