Blackburn midfielder Brett Emerton insists the departure of striker Roque Santa Cruz to Manchester City will not have a detrimental effect on the squad.
The Paraguay international completed a long-anticipated £17million transfer to Eastlands on Monday having expressed his desire to leave Ewood Park in December.
Santa Cruz struggled with injury last season and played just 11 matches in 2009, being sidelined completely from early March. It was in stark contrast to his maiden campaign with Rovers the previous year when he scored 23 goals.
The sale of striker Matt Derbyshire to Olympiacos on Wednesday means manager Sam Allardyce needs to strengthen his attacking options but Emerton is not concerned.
"Roque has been fantastic for Blackburn Rovers," said the Australia midfielder, who is confident of being fit for the start of the season having ruptured a cruciate knee ligament in January.
"He is a great player and a great guy and we will miss him but these things happen in football, players come and players go. If you look at how the team finished last season, they did it without the injured Roque and without Matt Derbyshire. You also had players like myself, Steven Reid and David Dunn who were injured," he added in the Lancashire Telegraph.
Comment 1 - 5 of 5
city city city shut up blackburns screwed
jim-u are a muppet mate
who let jim the idiot in if not for injuries dunn could have been a very very good player who would have been capable of playing for england im not saying on a regular basis but he could of more.
Thanks Jim, good input.
David Dunn rubbish player no good!!
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