Cruz: I'm off at end of the season

• zocoss

  21 Apr 09, 11:10

  Liverpool line up swoop for Roque Santa Cruz

  

  How Liverpool's strike force may look next season

  Rafa Benitez is eyeing up Blackburn’s in-demand striker Roque Santa Cruz. Liverpool boss Benitez, given a huge £30m transfer kitty this summer, could be ready to rival Manchester City for the Paraguayan centre forward.

  Benitez is keeping close tabs on Santa Cruz, 27, to strengthen his strike force and to work as a possible foil for Fernando Torres. City bid £20m for Santa Cruz in the summer and manager Mark Hughes wants him - but the Eastlands boss is under huge pressure himself.

  Liverpool have been scouting and reporting to Benitez on Santa Cruz who would prefer Champions League football to what City could offer him as Blackburn prepare to launch a big money auction this summer.

  Benitez has already targeted Valencia’s David Silva as a big-money buy but Santa Cruz is on his radar in what would be a major shock but shows the level of Liverpool’s ambition.

• sand king

  21 Apr 09, 11:20

  lol

• omgukilledkenny

  21 Apr 09, 14:12

  Santa Cruz heading for Rovers exit

  

  Blackburn striker Roque Santa Cruz claims he has told the Ewood Park strugglers that he wants to leave the club at the end of the season.

  The 27-year-old, currently recuperating after undergoing a surgical procedure on his troublesome right knee last week, told Paraguayan radio he has informed Rovers he wants to move on in the summer.

  "I have already told them (Blackburn) and they know that before the transfer window closes I would like to continue my career at a bigger, more ambitious team," he told Radio Nanduti.

  "Even though I haven't heard anything, I haven't changed my mind.

  "I think it will be very difficult for me to play again this season because of the recovery. Our last league match is on May 24 and I also need a couple of days for my knee to physically recover."

  The former Bayern Munich frontman could, therefore, have played his last match for Blackburn, as he does not intend to take to the field again before he is 100% fit.

• HiAy3Captain

  21 Apr 09, 15:26

  lmao

   

• jgho83

  21 Apr 09, 15:39

  to think he still got his huge salaries while he is recovering and hell bent on leaving blackburn.

   

   

• Scania N113CRB l0v3r

  21 Apr 09, 16:30

  sure bo Ben
  
  ok la , lucky he not keane
  

• Redster

  21 Apr 09, 16:31

  woah the pic who make one? very natural leh. still remember the man city one also quite nice

• limpper

  21 Apr 09, 17:08

  wont one
  
  confirm liverpool wont buy him
  

• limpper

  21 Apr 09, 17:21

  

   

  Blackburn Rovers striker Roque Santa Cruz has revealed he has informed the club that he wants to leave Ewood Park at the end of the season.
  

  The 27-year-old front-man has endured a frustrating season with both injuries and transfer speculation dominating the headlines rather than his goal-scoring.
  
  He has scored just six goals in 27 outings in all competitions, with former Rovers manager Mark Hughes seeing more than one bid to take the striker to Manchester City fail during the January transfer window.
  
  The Paraguayan - currently recovering from knee surgery - has been unable to assist Blackburn's bid to stay in the Premier League in recent weeks, with Sam Allardyce's side just one place and three points above the drop-zone.
  
  And he has revealed that he will seeking a move away from the club this summer, whatever division Rovers are in.
  
  "I have already told them and they know that before the transfer window closes I would like to continue my career at a bigger, more ambitious team," he told Radio Nanduti  in his homeland.

  "Even though I haven't heard anything, I haven't changed my mind.

  "I think it will be very difficult for me to play again this season because of the recovery. Our last league match is on May 24 and I also need a couple of days for my knee to physically recover.

  "I had to clean the zone where I had the cruciate ligament operation I had three or four years ago because there was some liquid there.

  "When I had the tendonitis in the left knee, it made the other leg overwork. That's why it got worse and I needed the surgery.

  "Now it is up to the knee. The recovery time is between four and six weeks and I will not hurry. The most important thing is to play without any problems."