HOENDERLOO, June 22 (Reuters) - Dutch striker Pierre van Hooijdonk said on Thursday he had sealed a £4.4million transfer to Benfica and was set to sign a three-year contract.

The 30-year-old will leave Vitesse Arnhem after only one season at the first division club where Ronald Koeman is coach.

'I'm happy to be getting a chance at a big club. I did not expect to leave after a year, but because of their financial situation, I had to. I got on fine with the players there,' Van Hooijdonk said.

Benfica's win is PSV Eindhoven's loss. The Dutch champions had been interested in Van Hooijdonk as replacement for the departed Luc Nilis and the injured Ruud van Nistelrooy and offered Champions League football next season. But the player said PSV could not afford him.

At Benfica, Van Hooijdonk will be playing in the UEFA Cup. Van Hooijdonk has had an unsettled time with spells at Celtic and Nottingham Forest, where he went on strike for some weeks because he said the team was not strong enough.

This season he has scored 25 times but is yet to appear for the Dutch during Euro 2000.

Dutch coach Frank Rijkaard described Van Hooijdonk on Thursday as a 'great centre forward'.

'He should do well in Portugal. The players there are very skilful and they like to cross. If he's served well he should do a fine job,' he said.