PARS SIGN UTRECHT STRIKER

The 27-year-old could move to Fife permanently if he impresses in his spell at East End Park and Dijkhuizen would relish a switch to the Scottish Premier League, where some of his friends have already starred.

"I spoke with Rob Mathaei and Michel Doesburg, who are already at Dunfermline and Mitchell van der Gaag, who was at Motherwell, and they were all positive about Scottish football and that was a big reason for me joining Dunfermline," he said.

"I am very excited about this and I hope I can do as well in Scotland as so many other Dutch players have done. I am a target man and think my style will be suited over here."

Ironically Dijkhuizen was lined up by Utrecht to replace Michael Mols after his £4million move to Rangers in the summer of 1999.

It did not work out but boss Jimmy Calderwood says: "It was always going to be hard for him to replace Mols, who is a legend in Utrecht, but he did well at the start before he picked up a few injuries.

"Marinus is a top quality player. For such a tall lad he has great touch and scores goals and I believe he will be excellent for Dunfermline. We have first option on him if we want to buy him when the loan is over."

Meanwhile, Utrecht will be able to take a number of Internazionale players on loan after reaching an agreement over a training camp in Cyprus, which will see some of the Italian club's stars undergo a trial with the Dutch side.

Fabio Mercellari, a 26-year-old defensive midfielder, will be the first player to have a trial, although Ivan Zamorano, Dario Simic, Michele Serena, Anselmo Robbiati and Stefano Lombardi could be among those to move on loan in the future.

Last season, young left winger Guiseppe Imburgia had a trial at Utrecht, but was not offered a contract.