Nigerian international Emmanuel Dennis has expressed his desire to excel at Blackburn Rovers.

The 27-year-old joined Rovers on a six-month loan deal on transfer deadline day and has vowed to repeat the heroics of former Nigerian striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni, who featured at the club during the 2011/2012 season.

Yakubu registered 17 goals in 32 appearances for the club before joining the Chinese league.

Dennis made his debut for Rovers on Sunday, February 9, in the Emirates FA Cup tie against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The former Watford player disclosed that he watched Aiyegbeni during his one-season spell at the club.

“Yakubu played here and growing up, I watched him play. It is a club I am very familiar with from growing up in Nigeria. I was really pleased they wanted me; I wanted to come,” Dennis told Rovers TV.

“He scored a lot of goals, so many! Yakubu is really big in Nigerian and African football.

“His contribution, playing in the Premier League, what a guy! He inspired me in some ways because I watched games and he was a really good player.”