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. Bloody hell.... any chance of a defender or two?­ Richard Dunne is smashing but come on!!! how many­ strikers is that? What about bellamy's impact? just­ cut short by injury but still got more goals than santy­ last season! Glad im a united supporter

    From derekh, on Tue 23 Jun 1:21AM

  2. Another disappointed signing... Will end up just like­ bellamy. What a waste of money. ..
    Strengthen the­ defence... That's where City really weak at...

    From Issac, on Tue 23 Jun 12:18AM

  3. yay city are rolling in it

    From mike, on Tue 23 Jun 12:17AM

  4. ross you look like a mong

    From mike, on Tue 23 Jun 12:15AM

  5. ross get off the smack you sad bas tard

    From mike, on Tue 23 Jun 12:13AM

  6. 17 million...lol

    From Ross, on Tue 23 Jun 12:08AM

  7. we are ACE

    From mike, on Tue 23 Jun 12:07AM

  8. more city strikers...they will play a 2-3-5...wtf?

    From dustin, on Mon 22 Jun 11:49PM
  9. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    I don't know if Blackburn fans ever sung it, but a­ great chant when he scores would be a take on the song­ 'Santa Claus Is Coming to Town'
    "Saaaaanta­ Cruz has scored a goal, Saaaaaanta Cruz has scored a­ Goal, Saaaanta Cruuuuuz has score-oooooorrrrrd a­ Gooooal!!!!"

    From urshitarh, on Mon 22 Jun 11:40PM

  10. I think they ae looking good now. looks like they will­ sign tevez then once they buy a centre back they are­ sorted.

    given
    richards, kompany, ???, bridge
    Ireland, ­ de jong, barry
    tevez, santa cruz, robinho.

    thats how­ Id line them up in a 4-3-3. plus they have decent­ players to come in as straight swaps or change it up­ and play a 4-4-2.

    Id say could get in top 4

    From yip, on Mon 22 Jun 11:37PM
  11. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    WOW its potato­ day....................................................­ .......................................................­ .......................................................­ .......................................................­ .......................................................­ .........potato........................................­ .......................................................­ ................potato.................................­ .......................................................­ ..................potato.

    From Mandy piles, on Mon 22 Jun 11:35PM

  12. this guy has collect champions league before the likes­ of c ronaldo, messi, and ronaldinho.. so i believe the­ experience of the champions league will jugde

    From emma o, on Mon 22 Jun 11:17PM

  13. Santa Cruz showed his excellence in Paraguay with­ Olimpia and the Paraguay national football team, so­ then got noticed by Bayern which they eventually signed­ him in the second half of 1999. Santa Cruz was­ unexceptional at Bayern Munich — although he scored­ five goals in his first season with the club, a series­ of injuries and heavy competition between forwards for­ the German giants limited his impact.

    Nonetheless, he­ was part of the latest successes for Bayern, winning­ the German league and cup double, the UEFA Champions­ League and the Intercontinental Cup.

    (so what are you­ hater's talking about?

    From emma o, on Mon 22 Jun 11:14PM

  14. yea, am glad Man city are improving, am thinking Man­ city will compete for championship next year

    From charles, on Mon 22 Jun 10:37PM

  15. CITY HAVE GOT MONEY BUT THEY ARE GETTING RUBBISH.WHY­ SIGN SANTA CRUZ?WELL MARK IS IN FOR A SACK COS WITH­ THE CROP OF PLAYERS THEY ARE GETTING THEY ARE GOING NO­ WHERE

    From efozia, on Mon 22 Jun 10:35PM

  16. colin bit of a raw nerve

    From mike, on Mon 22 Jun 10:33PM

  17. thank to city 17 miil easy money just like duff @­ bentley what have they done sweet nothing dorset blues

    From Colin, on Mon 22 Jun 10:03PM

  18. hughes is great

    From mike, on Mon 22 Jun 10:00PM

  19. comment 47,You are 100% right,I am a chelsea fan,but in­ excatly your position,just ask UNTD FANS,how much­ Ferdinad,Rooney,Berba,Hargreaves cost them ?Why they­ moan when other clubs buy something big and good

    From Rakesh, on Mon 22 Jun 9:59PM

  20. what a load of rubbish.

    hughes is a joke

    From paul g, on Mon 22 Jun 9:51PM
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