UNITED'S Mikael Silvestre looks as though he is on his way to Eastlands, but the Blues' hopes of signing Blackburn striker Roque Santa Cruz are fading fast.

Rumours linking Silvestre with a switch across town have been confirmed.

The 31-year-old left-sided French defender, whose recent career has been blighted by injury, has spent nine years with the Reds and is said to be available for a knockdown £750,000.

It is likely Blues boss Mark Hughes will use him as a left back.

Meanwhile, it appears a new deal is being worked out for Blackburn to keep Santa Cruz.

Agents working for the Paraguayan are expecting the imminent offer of a pay rise for their client.

If the 27-year-old agrees terms, then it would end once and for all the Blues pursuit of the prolific striker and leave Hughes seeking an alternative target.

The City chief's need for a hitman grew ever more pressing last night when it was confirmed that Valeri Bojinov will be out for six months after rupturing his right Achilles in the warm-up prior to yesterday's 4-2 defeat at Aston Villa.

He joins an ever-growing casualty and absentee list that includes Darius Vassell, Jo, and Benjani, but Hughes is not over-confident of adding to a stable of strikers down to the bare bones of Daniel Sturridge, Ched Evans, Felipe Caicedo and Rolando Bianchi.

Pressing

"We hope to do something but time is pressing and we might have to go with what we have got," he admitted.

City tabled a bid of around £12m for Santa Cruz last week, an offer that more than irritated the Ewood hierarchy, who had already waved goodbye to star men David Bentley and Brad Friedel.

That attempt to splash the cash came amidst Thaksin Shinawatra's continued attempts to attract new investment and share the financial burden of running the club and after the Blues secured a loan of £25m from Standard Bank plc which has been taken out to ease cash flow problems and is set against future television money.

The cash was loaned back in July and is common practise in football with more than half the Premier League taking out similar amounts to tide them over a three month period when there is little or no income.

Even so, Rovers have not been tempted with boss Paul Ince making it clear they don't want to sell Santa Cruz who began the new season in impressive form on Saturday, scoring in the 3-2 win over Everton and making the last minute winner after his header hit a post.

"Blackburn were clearly not impressed with City's approach for the player and are planning to put a new deal in front of Roque before the transfer window closes," confirmed an advisor to the striker.

Although all clubs engage in some posturing as the transfer deadline looms, it seems Rovers will hang on to a player who has also been linked with Aston Villa and United this summer.

City may well yet test their resolve one more time with an improved bid, but it would take something well over the odds for Rovers to accept it.

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