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

Comment 29 - 48 of 88

Sort comments by: Most recent

  1. Gillett to sell the Canadiens.
    This is about the worst­­ possible outcome for liverpool.­ It means­ H&G­ will­ use the club to raise further­ lending, instead­ of off­ loading Liverpool to wealthier­ investors.­­ Unfortunately £330 million will not be used­ to pay­­ off­ Liverpools debts as H&G are looking to­­ invest­ in NFL probably the Green Bay Packers if the­­ rumours­ are true, although the New York Giants are­ also­ there­ for picking off cheap as Liverpool were­.­ They­ are­ trying to raise funds wherever, they may­ well next­­ sell Torres under his feet to Chelsea to­­ raise funds,­­ hey nothing personal, it's business.

    From Sid, on Mon 22 Jun 9:43PM

  2. Santa Cruz is a great player and if he can stay healthy­ will be a steal at £17m.

    As for Hughes & City,­ just give them 5 years. They will be at the top of the­ Prem. They trust in their manager and they have money­ to spend.

    From Keenan W, on Mon 22 Jun 9:06PM

  3. yep looks like your dad~!

    From mike, on Mon 22 Jun 8:52PM

  4. KARLOS71UK...... spot on,well said!

    From Fran E, on Mon 22 Jun 8:46PM

  5. to MIKE

    So you know what a rent boy looks like ­ Queer Boy

    From RAYMOND P, on Mon 22 Jun 8:43PM

  6. city the new chelsea!!

    From sean d, on Mon 22 Jun 8:26PM

  7. cdor25, you are a pr**k, let me tell you something­ about being a city fan, we have won SWEET FA for 33­ years, yo-yo'd up and down the leagues, and still­ sold out maine rd week after week even when in the­ SECOND division and you hope we suffer NEXT YEAR!! how­ many other clubs have dropped out of the top tier and­ kept their supporters coming back week after week?­ NONE! please stop bleating about "ITS NOT FAIR!­ BOO HOO! CITY HAVE GOT ALL THIS MONEY!" where­ would united, chelsea and liverpool be without the cash­ generated from succesive champions leaugue appearances­ and all the shirt sales in europe and the far east that­ come with champ league? NOWHERE! don't be such a­ bitter @#$% and grow up! URBAN KNIGHT, BANG ON! nice to­ see a red with a balanced view!

    From karlos71uk, on Mon 22 Jun 8:16PM

  8. Bit of a weird ending for his rovers days with an injuy­ that never went, yeah right he just wanted to pass a­ medical at city

    From dianesellars, on Mon 22 Jun 8:13PM

  9. i have been told tevez signed two weeks ago by someone­ working high up at city man utd fans must be crying i n­ their beer great saying what goes around comes around­ it looks like if your a blue like me its come around­ thanks fergy for the early christmas present blue gilly­ manchester

    From Nicholas, on Mon 22 Jun 8:07PM
  10. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    bellemy is MUCK how could sparky the tat hunchback­ poison dwarf with him is beyond me but then again he­ is not a gr8 manager never was an cannot attract some­ the big names even wit his huge wallet i hope city­ suffer this year even with carlos i love west ham fans­ no wait i love united fans no wait i will fall in love­ with city fans tevez wat a poor striker haha not worth­ the money being quoted

    From Chris, on Mon 22 Jun 8:00PM

  11. I hate the way sparky goes on about how the team has a­ lot of potential and how he will work with the club to­ make them win everything without realising that he wont­ be there in a few years cos hes sh*e

    From henry_michael_daly, on Mon 22 Jun 7:49PM

  12. Goodbye Roque . Thanks for your services . When on the­ pitch you looked like a top class striker . Dont know­ where he will fit in at city with Robinho,Tevez and­ Bellamy.Hughes obviously knows better than me , but it­ doesnt add up in my eyes. I expect Big Sam to spend­ money wisely . As a Rovers fan you can never be­ confident , but i am quietly optimistic .

    From PATRICIA, on Mon 22 Jun 7:44PM

  13. First and foremost i am a UNITED fan, then a football­ fan and after that who knows... But i have to say that­ all the city doubters are overdoing it now. Firstly,­ city have kept faith in Sparky to deliver, which is a­ good start as there is nothing to be gained from­ sacking managers quicker than liverpool remind us of­ their 5 european trophies. Take Newcastle as a perfect­ example. Any team needs stability from a managerial­ point of view, once you have that the rest will follow.­ Look at United when SAF took over, he was close to­ getting sacked but look at the rewards now. City will­ do alright next season, with a bit of luck their new­ players will gel well and they can maybe challenge for­ europe again. Good luck City for the 09/10 season.­ UNITED IS FOR LIFE.

    From Urban Knight, on Mon 22 Jun 7:35PM

  14. CITY ARE KEICH

    From JEEMS, on Mon 22 Jun 7:34PM
  15. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    SANTA SHAD GO BECK TAY THA NARTH POL WHER HE CAMES FAE.

    From Donney, on Mon 22 Jun 7:22PM
  16. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    comment 30 dont be daft. man city will not make it into­ the top 4 next season just because they signed a­ paraguayan whos injured for half of de season.
    man city­ are a poor team why do u think all the big players­ they're after are snubbing them?

    From Gracious, on Mon 22 Jun 7:03PM

  17. good signing,now 4 tevez.mybe top 4.

    From whiteheaddave, on Mon 22 Jun 7:01PM

  18. Well the Saudi financial machine has kept Mark Hughes­ even after a pretty poor season and they are letting­ him spend some cash again so you got to give them­ respect for loyalty. Not sure what he can deliver with­ Robinho crying about who he signs all the time maybe he­ can sod off back to Real so he can play with the­ slightly more successful Kaka.

    From Tom, on Mon 22 Jun 6:59PM

  19. CITY CITY

    the fog on the tyne is all mine all­ mine

    the fog on the tyne is all mine CMON

    From mike, on Mon 22 Jun 6:57PM

  20. him and bellamy will be awesome

    From mike, on Mon 22 Jun 6:53PM
Sort comments by: Most recent

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