Premier League - City fail in Santa Cruz bid

Eurosport - Thu, 08 Jan 16:17:00 2009

Blackburn Rovers have confirmed they have rejected Manchester City's latest bid for star striker Roque Santa Cruz.

FOOTBALL Blackburn Rovers Santa Cruz - 0

Blackburn's official website confirmed they received a bid from the Eastlands club - thought to be "significantly" in excess of £12 million - but duly turned it down.

City may now turn their attentions to Juventus hitman David Trezeguet, according to reports in France.

Santa Cruz, who City boss Mark Hughes first brought to the Premier League as Blackburn manager 18 months ago, has been a target for the Blues since the summer.

Then, a £12m bid was rejected and Blackburn's stance has changed since, even though his sale would represent good business - he cost just £3.8m from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2007.

"We have made an improved bid, a substantial bid for Roque Santa Cruz but it was rejected," said Hughes.

"We made a bid in the region of £12million in the summer and it (the new bid) is significantly higher than that.

"But we still want to bring him to the club if we can but he is Blackburn's player and they don't want to deal at the level we have made a bid at.

"That is their prerogative."

The 27-year-old was an instant hit at Blackburn, netting 23 goals in all competitions in his debut season to prick the interest of City, along with their neighbours Manchester United and Liverpool.

Following Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahyar's takeover at the City of Manchester Stadium, Hughes has been given a huge warchest, thought to be in the region of £100m, to spend this January.

But with Blackburn standing firm, he may be forced to admit defeat in his pursuit of Santa Cruz.

World Cup winner Trezeguet represents an alternative for Hughes, with the Frenchman's agent claiming City are on the verge of making a bid for the striker.

The Juventus ace is currently out with a knee injury but Antonio Caliendo has claimed that has not put City off.

"A man close to Manchester City called me some days ago to tell me of his interest in David," Caliendo told L'Equipe.

"I believe the club are ready to put on the table a bid of more than 20 million euros to get him.

"Manchester City's interest isn't new. It happened last year."

But Trezeguet is under contract at the Stadio Olimpico until the summer of 2011 and prising the 31-year-old away from the Italian giants is likely to be difficult.

"A big Spanish club also contacted me a few weeks ago, before City did, as well as two clubs from the Persian Gulf," he added.

"But David is untransferable and it is out of the question that I will talk more to these clubs since David still isn't playing again.

"He will stay at Juve through this transfer window."

Trezeguet netted 20 goals for the Old Lady of Turin last season and formed one of the most feared attacking pairings in Europe alongside Alessandro Del Piero.

Mike Hytner / Eurosport

Comment 24 - 43 of 43

Sort comments by: Most recent

  1. dunne wants out I am sure.. he geared up to leave and was disappointed he didnt
    let him go and onuaha

    From mike, on Fri 9 Jan 12:31AM

  2. lets buy BIG, you will se we have a big player lined up just like ROBINHO
    ripped of must be a ragger jello

    From mike, on Fri 9 Jan 12:30AM

  3. where are all these big players city fans thought they were going to buy, its not as easy as you dreamt, besides what have you got to offer- no domestic cups, a relegation fight because you cant attract quality players, and no european football next season because you will be knocked out before the final. and it even looks like the only santa you'll ever get will be a fake santa in a red coat. still a laughing stock,

    From ripped of, on Thu 8 Jan 10:07PM

  4. How has City`s player of the year for the last two years gone so bad.
    Dunne has been one of City`s most consistent players and Hughes has him wrecked.
    Me thinks Hughes is the problem not the players.

    From MICHAEL M, on Thu 8 Jan 9:09PM

  5. and who could forget how poor jo has been?

    From tdann1, on Thu 8 Jan 8:32PM

  6. Who has been good? ireland. robinho. swp. hart, mostly. maybe caciedo, maybe zabaleta maybe kompany.
    who has been poor? elano. ben haim. dunne. richards.
    who is most missed? petrov.

    From tdann1, on Thu 8 Jan 8:31PM

  7. apart from last season he only gets 5 goals a year check his history

    From BallsDeep, on Thu 8 Jan 8:25PM

  8. hes only worth about ten mil

    From BallsDeep, on Thu 8 Jan 8:23PM

  9. in my humble opinion a lack of strikers is not the problem with City, goals scored is not the problem, goals ALLOWED is the problem. Morale is the problem. Work ethic and consistency is the problem. Who has been consistent this season?

    From tdann1, on Thu 8 Jan 8:06PM

  10. in my humble opinion a lack of strikers is not the problem with City, goals scored is not the problem, goals ALLOWED is the problem.

    From tdann1, on Thu 8 Jan 8:05PM

  11. if your a Pikey and you win the lotto you still a pikey.

    if you a small club and billionaire takes you over,you still small club.

    City you are pathetic. Didi i sorry for you.

    From MICHAEL M, on Thu 8 Jan 8:03PM

  12. winoNEWMANAGA?!

    From sven, on Thu 8 Jan 6:51PM

  13. f**k Blackburn city can just go for someone else they wont get another bid like city..so hughes better turn his attention to David villa now

    From Graham, on Thu 8 Jan 6:39PM

  14. Clowns

    Without City there would be no point in the transfer window

    Your whingeing and bricking it now and we're only on the 8th jan

    The wad is coming for your best players

    PS Don't forget to fill up on the way home we may need a bit more of your cash

    Love

    From twobirchy, on Thu 8 Jan 5:37PM

  15. LET HIM GO BLACKBURN ARE JUST AFTER MORE MONEY ANY WAY

    From Red, on Thu 8 Jan 4:21PM

  16. we dont need you old @#$% we need villa not santa

    From gloire, on Thu 8 Jan 4:16PM

  17. "Finish in the top four this season and then target the huge names once in the champions league."

    and

    buy:
    k. toure
    alonso
    Villa

    What drugs are you on? finish fourth this season? youre in a relegation battle mate and why would Alonso leave a title challenge club to a relegation battle club?

    HAHAHAHAHAHAHA best two jokes on the planet

    From Mars Chatterton, on Thu 8 Jan 4:02PM

  18. RSC is a good player, his form this season has been weak though. He can't possibly be valued at overn 15mil, even to City. Trez is a nice idea in theory, however the guy requires a certain quality from the midfield / link man in regards to service.. don't know if City will be able to make him look good.

    From G, on Thu 8 Jan 3:56PM

  19. I thought these owners were taking on the world , seems they want to do it on the cheap . It explains why they bought city then a club that dont own there own ground . jokers

    From Glenn T, on Thu 8 Jan 3:45PM

  20. Trezeguet is 31,plagued by "injury",cannot,and sometimes will not ,perform consistently, will find it very difficult to fit into the much faster paced Premier League.

    From mrstyches, on Thu 8 Jan 3:43PM
Sort comments by: Most recent

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account