July 5 2004

Crystal Palace

Hungarian international keeper GABOR KIRALY has become Iain Dowie's first signing ahead of the new Premiership season.

Dowie snapped up the 28-year-old stopper on a free transfer from German Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin.

He is currently on his way to South London after a short stay in his Hungarian home town of Szombathely, to put pen to paper on a three-year deal.

"My deal with Crystal Palace is sealed," he said. "I've always wanted to play in England."

The Hungarian number one lost his place in the Hertha side to Christian Fiedler and was told his contract would only be renewed if he took a pay cut.

He joined Hertha in 1997 from Hungarian side Haladas Szombathely and was recently linked with moves to Liverpool and Tottenham.

It's not known whether Dowie will persue interest in Dundee's Argentinian keeper Julian Speroni after Palace had agreed a £500,000 move with the Scottish club.