Paul Ince has made Paul Robinson the first signing of his Blackburn tenure, paying £3.5m for the services of the Tottenham goalkeeper.

Long-serving incumbent Brad Friedel looks set to complete his £2million move to Aston Villa after Rovers gave permission for the midlands club to speak to the American and Ince has wasted no time in securing an experienced replacement, agreeing a five-year deal with Robinson.

The 28-year-old will be hoping for a fresh start at Ewood Park after a remarkable fall from grace at White Hart Lane which started when he was dropped as England's number one, and ended with his first-team spot under Juande Ramos threatened by Radek Cerny and the summer signing Heurelho Gomes.