Updated 18.10

SHAMROCK ROVERS HAVE scored the first big coup of the domestic transfer window by signing Libyan international Eamon Zayed.

Zayed’s return to Irish football was confirmed this evening after he signed with the Hoops until the end of the 2014 season.

The former Derry City striker, 29,  finished as the league’s top scorer in 2011 and was  also named the PFAI Player of the Year.

He then left to join Iranian club Persepolis Tehran where he became an instant hit, coming off the bench to score a hat-trick in the Tehran derby.

Rovers will be Zayed’s fifth club in the League of Ireland following his spells with Bray Wanderers, Drogheda United, Sporting Fingal and Derry.

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Meanwhile David McMillan could make his Sligo Rovers debut against Cork City on Friday night.

The striker sealed his move from UCD on a free transfer earlier today, joining older brother Evan at the Showgrounds.

McMillan, 24, has been the Premier Division’s second top-scorer this season with 12 goals including six penalties.

Now Bit O’Red boss Ian Baraclough has brought him out west as he looks to prevent a recurrence of the drought which threatened to derail Sligo’s title defence.

“David adds to our options in attack and I feel it was an area we needed to strengthen,” Baraclough told SligoRovers.com.

David is a good age where he is ready to further his ambitions and take the next step. He has a lot of experience even at 24, he has scored regularly and you can see the potential for him to take that to another level.

The champions went four games without a league goal in May and June but have since righted that problem with 11 in their last three games. Anthony Elding is available again this weekend following his latest suspension while Danny North, who missed almost a full year with a cruciate injury, showed a glimpse of his old form with a goal in Monday’s win against Limerick.

With the title race heating up and a Champions League qualifier against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Molde around the corner, Baraclough hopes that McMillan’s arrival will bring the best out of his squad.

The players will relish the competition because they want to be driven and they want for us to improve just as much as I do.

It is something you should thrive on. You should be constantly looking at trying to improve and for the club to become stronger and stronger. David’s signature is a big boost to us and we are very pleased to finalise the deal today.

First published 1.42pm

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