Premier League - City complete Santa Cruz signing

Eurosport - Tue, 23 Jun 09:08:00 2009

Roque Santa Cruz has completed his £17 million move from Blackburn Rovers to Manchester City.

FOOTBALL Blackburn Rovers Santa Cruz - 0

The Paraguayan passed a medical with the Eastlands outfit on Monday afternoon and has now signed a deal to link up once more with Mark Hughes, his former manager at Blackburn.

Hughes has never made any secret of his desire to have Santa Cruz at City and having assured themselves the knee injury that kept the South American out at the end of last season has fully cleared up, the Blues have completed the signing of the striker.

Santa Cruz becomes Hughes' second major signing of the summer, following the arrival of Gareth Barry from Aston Villa last month.

Despite the improvement of Felipe Caicedo during the final few weeks of last season, City were desperately in need of a senior striker to bring the best out of Steven Ireland, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Robinho, who continues to be linked with Barcelona.

Having brought the 27-year-old from Bayern Munich during his Blackburn days, Hughes knew exactly what Santa Cruz could bring to him team and after missing out on the player during the last two transfer windows, was quick to make contact with Rovers counterpart Sam Allardyce with another offer, which this time was accepted.

Although he managed just four Premier League goals last term, the memory of his 23 in 43 appearances during his first season at Ewood Park is still strong and Santa Cruz is expected to clock up a third World Cup finals campaign with Paraguay next summer.

PA Sport

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  1. im a brfc fan and its annoying that we find all these­ good players just so bigger clubs can snap um up if we­ dont buy sum good players with this money we will be­ playing in the championship next year sort it out­ blackburn uv lost the desire to win things!!!!!!!!!!!

    From lwaugh11, on Wed 24 Jun 10:50AM

  2. hey Man Utd fans, DON'T be fanatic, let the kid­ go... he's done the best 4 u. Mayb one day­ he'll be back, but don't be unfair with him...­ you just live once & he allways had madrid's­ dream. It doesn't means he isn't greatfull. He­ loves england, but sportsmen needs new challanges.­ That's called ambition & courage. Don't­ judge what you can't deal with.

    From Daniel Alex. F. Menezes, on Tue 23 Jun 5:35PM

  3. SORRY TO INTERRUPT BUT, Fancy downloading THOUSANDS of­ ONLINE GAMES and ONLINE TV SOFTWARE; Visit okejer .­ bezoogle com / pp / games (remove all spaces).....Check­ it out, its great.....got some great stuff on­ it.......WORTH IT!!

    From Jerry, on Tue 23 Jun 3:21PM

  4. Paul s, sounds like another bitter Geordie..Dont you­ realise that if you had kept Big Sam instead of that­ Grinning Slaphead Shearer, you would not be playing toy­ town football next year

    From greg, on Tue 23 Jun 12:20PM

  5. No but we will be top 6 and we will win the FA cup.­ You'll see!

    From luketaylor69, on Tue 23 Jun 10:22AM

  6. Anyone who thinks ManCity will break into the top 4­ next season needs there head read!
    They will do it but­ not next season as they have spent alot of money but­ how many of there players would be a regular for a top­ 4 team?
    I can tell you 2 at most with Robinho ( when­ he aint spitting his dummy out ) and Given.
    Santa Cruz­ is ok at best and he is always injured, De Jong is­ average, Bridge has only ever been an average full­ back, the defence is poor at city which would worry me,­ wright- phillips is by fa your best midfielder when he­ plays well and where are the 25- 30 goals a season­ coming from which you need to have a hope of top 4?
    Im­ not saying you aint improved because that would be­ silly but top 4 you aint ( yet )

    From Daniel, on Tue 23 Jun 10:03AM

  7. I like Tevez in Manchester.

    From Raimundas, on Tue 23 Jun 8:51AM

  8. city have no chance of breaking into the top four

    From FoeyP, on Tue 23 Jun 8:40AM

  9. Ross looks like that smack head pete doherty

    From FoeyP, on Tue 23 Jun 8:39AM

  10. great stuff ben all you need now is a manager to handle­ them and put some winning stratergies into place ! good­ luck !

    From handyandyisalways, on Tue 23 Jun 8:33AM

  11. man city are now steeped in class in every department­ from best goalie in the world to best forwards, you­ have to have all that class in the team to win a­ premiership title. If needs be they will get a decent­ coach too. Everyone thought chelsea were a little­ crazy, they just went out and bought the class that was­ needed. liverpool showed the way years ago man u­ followed on as arsenal did...scoured the world for the­ best and you will have class team challenging for­ everything and places in the team.

    And never forget­ Man city can afford to buy Real Madrid as a feeder­ club. The toon bought wage warriors and has beens, and­ we got what we deserved, Man City have bought class and­ then more class all up for the fight or out in the­ sticks they will go. I think they are a top three team­ and maybe the top spot, after all the other top 4 all­ bought there way into there positions and they all they­ bought class and lots of it. City are worh a bet.

    From ben, on Tue 23 Jun 8:11AM

  12. im sure if i had copius amounts of money a 6 goal a­ season striker (last season) wouldnt have been on my­ list never mind top having said that he could prove to­ be usefull if he can rekindle his form from the 07-08­ season. and this could prove to be a canny bit business­ for bigsam gives him some cash to spend 17 mill wow­ thats 17 old passed it players that are so old the­ stink of piss on the other hand he can have all the­ geriatric @#$% he brought t newcastle bigsam you have­ to realise just because they were good when u played­ along side them dont mean they are still good now

    From paul s, on Tue 23 Jun 7:25AM

  13. hahaha so........ forny man city ok,

    From wali, on Tue 23 Jun 7:05AM
  14. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    mm, Hughes has no tactics therefore he needs players­ who are willing to run around like headless chickens­ chasing the game for 90mins.
    Cruz, Bellamy... whos­ next?
    Lucas Neil and Stephen Warnock

    you mark my­ words, Hughes is useless and will keep the club­ midtable.

    From paul g, on Tue 23 Jun 6:58AM

  15. "need a senior striker to bring out the best in­ Stephen Ireland..." Jeez, what a stupid thing to­ write. Ireland had a magnificent season. City's­ best player.
    Writer must be Paul Parker in disguise.

    From m m, on Tue 23 Jun 6:47AM

  16. benjani is there dont worry about cruz

    From madonkoq, on Tue 23 Jun 6:45AM

  17. citys 9th striker wit tevez rumoured to come to em 2?­ dont think they need him they already have caiceido­ robinho evans sturridge bojinov bellamy benjani and­ vassell, u could make a team out of the strikers alone,­ think they should learn 4m real madrids mistake, a load­ of attackers dont mean u get a top team, need quality­ defence in front of given and a half decent defensive­ midfielder to provide stevie ireland wit ball to supply­ the attackers,

    From barry, on Tue 23 Jun 6:24AM

  18. Santa Cruz is very good signing but they should go for­ a very goog defender.They should go for MAICON coz he­ is the best defender alround.

    From aizad62, on Tue 23 Jun 5:22AM

  19. good signing! with santacruz and bellamy in forward­ there a should a problem with goal scoring. Robinho SWP­ Barry ireland will support. But Now try to sign­ defender. If Kolo Toure sign with Man city nest season,­ there will be the big four beside united liverpool and­ chelsea. Sorry wenger

    From keanopain, on Tue 23 Jun 3:45AM

  20. just go roque...
    we dont need fragile striker­ HAHAHAHAHAHA
    cmon bigsam, sign 1 good midfielder and 1­ superb striker ;)

    From mikharenta, on Tue 23 Jun 2:32AM
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