YOURI Djorkaeff today predicted exciting times ahead for Wanderers.

The 34-year-old midfielder had no hesitation signing a two-year contract with a club he believes is going places.

He says he is thrilled by the prospect of helping Wanderers improve their status in English football and by the more exciting style of football planned for next season.

He is licking his lips particularly at the signing of Nigeria midfield maestro Jay Jay Okocha which he says will play a big part in solving the problem with home form which almost sentenced Wanderers to immediate relegation last season.

"We must win more games at home next season," warned Djorkaeff, "and Jay Jay will play a big part in helping us do that.

"He is a very good player. I saw a lot of him when he was at Paris St Germain and I'm sure Jay Jay and myself can play some very good football in Bolton's midfield next season."

Djorkaeff is confident Wanderers will be a more potent force than last season and insists he has not joined Wanderers just for the money.

"I am still a footballer and I am here to score goals, win games, give pleasure to the fans and to do something exciting not just to end my career," he added.

"I am very excited about playing with Bolton in the Premiership next season. I know the players and the people at the club and they know me and it is very important to have this good feeling between the club and myself.

"It is good that the team has not changed a lot during the summer. No players have left and new ones have come in.

"People say Bolton is a good team and if players do not want to leave then we can do better this year."

Djorkaeff will bring his wife and three children to live in Bolton as soon as possible and has already put the disappointment of the French World Cup failure behind him.

"I have had a great career with the French team and my time with Bolton last season was very important in helping me to get into the national team for the World Cup. Now I can return to normal life and do well with Bolton which I find very exciting.

"We have a better team than last season with Jay Jay and Bulent Akin coming and tomorrow another great international player might be coming." (Wanderers are waiting for Nigerian World Cup defender Taribo West to give his answer to a contract offer.)

"The club is taking a step forward and I hope we will build something for the future. The atmosphere last season was very good and it can be even better next season. My first choice was to come to Bolton and it was a very easy decision for me to make to come here.

"I wanted to come to the Premiership because the level in England is better than Italy and Germany and the quality is greater than Spain because when you take out the top four teams in Spain the quality is not very good."

The signings of Djorkaeff and Okocha will be significant in helping Wanderers change their style to a more offensive system next season.

Assistant manager Phil Brown said: "Youri is a young 34, I mean that, and he brings a quality to the camp that we don't have.

"The spirit we have here is renowned throughout Britain and hopefully it will spread around the world but we are bringing in more creative talent in Youri and Jay Jay who will hopefully be able to unlock defences when the games are tight which we were unable to do last season."