Iain Dowie has beaten off competition from Norwich City and Southampton to sign ex-Eagle Clinton Morrison in a £2million move from Birmingham City.

The 26-year-old Republic of Ireland international has signed a three year deal and is available for this Saturday's clash with Stoke.

Morrison has fallen down the striking pecking order at St Andrews since the arrivals of Mikael Forssell and Walter Pandiani and was looking for a move away to secure regular first team football ahead of this summer's World Cup finals.

Morrison will ironically partner the man who was the make-weight in the deal which took the former Palace trainee to St Andrews in a £4.25million deal three years ago, Andrew Johnson.

Both players have had contrasting fortunes since the switch, with Johnson breaking Palace goal-scoring records, finishing second top scorer in the Premiership last year and winning two England caps.

Whereas Morrison struggled to make an impact at St Andrews, despite impressing on international duty with the Republic of Ireland.

Meanwhile Palace have yet to decide whether to make a move for Cardiff City midfielder Richard Langley who spent last week on trial at the club's training ground in Beckenham.

The 26-year-old Jamaican international played under Iain Dowie at Queens Park Rangers while the Palace boss was assistant manager and would be available for a cut-price fee of £200,000 due to the current financial problems at Ninian Park.

Crystal Palace director of football Bob Dowie informed the Croydon Guardian that a deal for Langley is still possible.

Bob Dowie said: "We haven't made any progress with the Langley deal as yet.

"He was not in today as his trial finished last week but it's now up to Iain to decide whether the deal can go ahead."

Dowie has up until midnight next Wednesday to new sign players before the transfer window is shut until January and it is expected he will work right to the wire.