Santa Cruz heading for Rovers

July 27, 2007

Roque Santa Cruz

ROQUE Santa Cruz, the Bayern Munich striker linked with a move to City over the last few days, looks to be heading for Blackburn.

Rovers boss Mark Hughes is hoping to conclude a deal for the 25-year-old Paraguay international in the next 24 hours.

Hughes said: “We are very hopeful something may happen in that respect.

“Maybe in the next 24 hours a deal could be concluded if the price is right.”

Hughes added: “Santa Cruz is a young player, an international with a good reputation who is playing at a top European club.”

Hughes believes Santa Cruz is ready to come to Ewood Park.

The Blackburn boss said: “We’ve had some positive indications from his people and hopefully something will happen.

“The good thing from our point of view is that his fitness levels are fine as he has been playing in the Copa America.”

Meanwhile, City have this morning distanced themselves from speculation suggesting they are ready to make a £4.5m swoop for Kieron Dyer. And the BBC reports that City are closing on the signing of Juventus defender Chiellini. The 22-year-old has six full international caps.

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Andrew (27/07/2007 at 10:46)

Blackburn can have him! Not good enough for us!

paul ainsworth, warwickshire (27/07/2007 at 10:55)

he's obviously not good enough then, let's trust Svennis's judgement

nick bradford blue (27/07/2007 at 10:57)

thank goodness on santa cruz and dyer both not up to the mark, til sven reveals we will be guessing but i am sure he will not let us down he hasnt so far, bring on castillo that would be amazing.

Harry Skinters (27/07/2007 at 11:00)

Castello for City. Dyer for someone else.

Bluer than Ever, Northwich (27/07/2007 at 11:04)

Santa Cruz can head there. Get Castillo in Sven! what a player and crowd leaser he would be! Sven was the best thing that could happen to City. His reputation pulls the top players in and its more than we could have dreamt of. Still Blue dreaming

Devon Blue, Devon (27/07/2007 at 11:04)

I agree Harry Castillo would be great for us Dyer No way . I will Taxi him to spurs

mrcakey (27/07/2007 at 11:05)

In 26 league matches for Bayern last year, he scored 0 goals. His career average is a goal every 5 games. Noone's crying here!

The Doctor, Worsley (27/07/2007 at 11:06)

Santa Cruz is unproven so let's not go there! Likewise let's also not go after Dyer he looks like trouble with external family problems. SGE doesn't seem to have made a bad move yet and I personally am delighted with the quality of players we a starting to collect. The next month will be extremely interesting not only in terms of who else comes in but in who goes!

jackblue, Prescot (27/07/2007 at 11:10)

Santa Cruz has a very very poor strike rate at Munich and they played an eighteen y.o. rookie instead of him last match, when all their other strikers were injured (Klose etc). So Blackburn are welcome.

Bluetooth, Manchester (27/07/2007 at 11:29)

Good - His record isn't exactly sparkling. They can have Dyer as well.

moonchesters lovechild., cornwall (27/07/2007 at 11:30)

good.

maybe we should go for benni mccarthy now.

PaulC (27/07/2007 at 11:31)

Wonder if those bitter reds invading this site will now head for a Rovers site to tell them what a poor player Santa Cruz is? No, course they won't because they're only OBSESSED with us!

Fallingbostel BLUE, GERMANY (27/07/2007 at 11:35)

phew!!! makes Corradi look prolific

Edwardo, Davyhulme (27/07/2007 at 11:39)

Would take Benni McCarthy, without question.

CHRIS YORK, YORK (27/07/2007 at 11:48)

NO TO HIM AND DYER,SVEN KNOWS BEST CASTILLO AND GATTUSO PLEASE,

The Colonel, Kippax St (27/07/2007 at 12:17)

We obviously didn't want him then. Our priority is surely replaceing Distin now. Juve have said that they don't want to sell Chiellini.

Shads, Manchester (27/07/2007 at 13:13)

It seems clear that we are being linked to every man and his dog purely in an attempt to boost prices. Think about it, the agent wants a cut of a bigger pie and simply states that City are also interested to the press and word gets out, the actual club bidding get worried and add a bit more to secure the sale. The chances are that Sven wasn't interested in the slightest. He knew about our scoring difficulties, why therefore go for a striker who can't score?

Far East Blue, Thailand (27/07/2007 at 14:05)

Let's go for Chiellini, we've just got Bianchi

anglo-saxon rcfc, North Carolina (27/07/2007 at 14:07)

I am very sad :-(. I wanted Dyer and Lee Bowyer who have a superb rapore, and I still think we should admit we made a mistake and bring back Barton at any price.

____________

I've got to stop sniffing that Ajax.

moonchesters lovechild., cornwall (27/07/2007 at 14:11)

we'd be better with santa claus, at least he'd deliver more.

Jimmy Neutron, near L.A., California (27/07/2007 at 14:17)

I agree...'no' to both Santa Cruz and Dyer. Another South American we should look at is Juan Toja...Colombian midfielder -endless energy, quick as a cat, and trickier than a politician on the campaign trail.

Norvaner, Vancouver (27/07/2007 at 17:20)

Funny posts !

I agree.....no to Santa Cruz & Dyer and yes to the Ital left back.

Dyer is good but how many games a season does he play ?

BristolStevefromOldham, bristol (27/07/2007 at 22:24)

PaulC - as for rags coming on here, I took a look at their site. Loads of whinging. And a very funny picture of Taggart. Take a look - what has he just done?

CairnsBlues, Cairns (28/07/2007 at 02:08)

A year ago we would have taken anyone, circa Dabo, but now if these guys go elsewhere it's because Sven doesn't want them and that, is good enough for me!

Come on City!

Holme Valley Knowledge. (28/07/2007 at 10:24)

Devon Blue, is Castillo's first name really Harry? Doesn't sound very Mexican to me!

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