JOE HART'S departure to Birmingham City on loan is unlikely to be the last temporary exit from Eastlands this summer.

Roque Santa Cruz's arrival from Blackburn Rovers earlier this week could usher Brazilian Jo towards the Blues revolving door for a second time.

The player who cost City around £19m from CSKA Moscow less than 12 months ago could well be deemed surplus to requirements for the coming season too.

After making 13 starts for City during which time he briefly shone scoring three goals, Jo was loaned out to Everton for the second part of the campaign.

He managed a dozen appearances scoring five times for David Moyes' side and generally impressed with his attitude but not enough for the cash-strapped Toffees to make a permanent bid for his services.

Battling

With Santa Cruz ready to lead the Blues attack and Craig Bellamy and possibly Carlos Tevez battling to be the second hitman, it appears that Jo's chances will be limited and the Blues may well listen with a favourable ear to any clubs who wish to borrow a player who has been capped three times by Brazil.

The Blues, as is the norm, would require a loan fee but would see a loan deal as a way of getting more experience into the 22-year-old, who has signed a four-year contract but who has found the Premier League physically demanding.

Everton may yet come back for another 12 months of the player and City could use Jo to hammer out a deal for defender Joleon Lescott. Fulham are the other Premier League club in the hunt, though there could also be interest from Spain.

While Jo's immediate future is up in the air, his international team-mate Robinho has urged boss Mark Hughes not to give up on his pursuit of Cameroon superstar Samuel Eto'o.

The Blues' leading marksman, who cost City's new owners a British record £32.5m in the final hours of last season's summer transfer window, believes Eto'o could make the Blues almost unbeatable.

"A player like Santa Cruz is more than welcome and I've heard a deal for Carlos will be sorted very soon," claimed Robinho, who has yet to begin his summer's rest after the World Cup qualifiers and the Confederation Cup in South Africa. Brazil meet the hosts in that contest this evening.

"That would be great because Tevez is a world-class talent and I would be happy to play alongside him. It is very good to know that my club is going for top-quality players like these. Now I hope we can get Eto'o as well."

No matter who now comes through the door before the season starts at Blackburn in August, the Blues look like they will be parting company with several of the other strikers that were on call last season.

Hughes has already turned down a bid of a little more than £1m for 20-year-old Wales international Ched Evans from Championship hopefuls Sheffield United but may yet be tempted to sell if anyone doubled that amount.

Expires

Youngster Daniel Sturridge has thrown in his lot with Chelsea for a fee that will be decided by a tribunal, while former England international Darius Vassell will not be offered a new deal when his current four year contract expires next week and is interesting Hull City.

Hughes is also likely to listen to offers for experienced Zimbabwe international Benjani, who has struggled with injury since making the switch from Portsmouth 18 months ago.

Less clear is the long-term future of Felipe Caicedo whose half-a-dozen goals last season at least showed he was heading in the correct direction after a difficult introduction following his move from Swiss side Basle for a little more than £5m.

Sporting Lisbon have been on the 20-year-old Ecuadorian international's trail and others in the Premier League might be willing to take a punt on a player who started 10 times in league and cup matches for Hughes last season. Caicedo himself is relaxed about his situation at City though he knows he is likely to be fourth choice striker at best next season.

Meanwhile, the Blues' £15m pursuit of England defender Lescott, which started in the New Year, is likely to be met with a rebuff as the Toffees hold out for more.

They will argue that Glenn Johnson's switch from Portsmouth to Liverpool for £17m sets the bar in terms of Lescott's value and are likely to hold out for a similar amount for a player who can operate as a central defender and a left back.

Lescott is understood to be aware of City's interest though he neither confirmed nor denied it when he was asked about the subject during his spell on England duty earlier this month.

The Blues are also keen to clinch a deal for experienced Ivory Coast defender Kolo Toure from Arsenal, though he would miss a chunk of the season during the African Cup of Nations.

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