Santa Cruz signs for City at last
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EXCLUSIVE: City eye top four as Santa Cruz signs up for £18m
Cruz control: Manchester City have finally landed Blackburn striker
Manchester City have agreed an £18million deal to sign Roque Santa Cruz from Blackburn as they begin to build a squad to break into the Premier League's top four.
Manager Mark Hughes will finally be reunited with the striker he wanted to bring with him from Rovers to Eastlands last summer in the first of several blockbuster signings before the end of August.
Santa Cruz will cost £15m, with the rest of the fee dependant on appearances and team success, but he is likely to have to compete for a place with Carlos Tevez - who is ready to reject Manchester United and Liverpool - and Barcelona's Samuel Eto'o next season.
City are confident they are making progress in their pursuit of two of the most respected goalscorers playing in Europe - despite Eto'o's exorbitant wage demands of £192,000-a-week after tax - as chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak continues to back Hughes in the transfer market.
The signing of Santa Cruz, who missed the end of last season with a knee injury, shows that the manager remains in charge of the club's transfer targets.
Al-Mubarak has admitted his frustration at the perception of City as a club who do not deserve a place at the game's top table. The Cruz deal highlights his reluctance to pay wildly inflated fees, as the initial figure is £5m short of the price Blackburn quoted them in January when their bids were unsuccessful.
Hughes first signed Santa Cruz for Blackburn from Bayern Munich for £3.8m in 2007 after he had fallen out of favour at the German club. He scored 23 goals for Rovers in his first season but suffered with injury last term after the Welshman had move on.
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WTF
sianz lia0 -
I am think City could break into the top 4 next season... Who of the present top 4 will 'drop off' I wonder...
Next one to arrive at City is Kolo Toure...
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Liverpool gets my vote. Judging by Rafa's signings
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Originally posted by zocoss:
I am think City could break into the top 4 next season... Who of the present top 4 will 'drop off' I wonder...
Next one to arrive at City is Kolo Toure...
Chelsea or Arsenal
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with guss as tic advisor.
i doubt chelsea will end up 3rd again
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Santa Cruz has City medical
Roque Santa Cruz is undergoing a medical at Manchester City ahead of his proposed move to Eastlands.
The long-term City target is finally set to complete his switch from Blackburn for a fee believed to be around £18million.
skysports.
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City better dun buy him la, so injury prone one.
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Santa Cruz passes medical
Sky Sports News understands Roque Santa Cruz has edged a step closer to joining Manchester City after passing his medical.
The 27-year-old underwent a number of tests with the club's medical staff, a process lasting a total of four-and-a-half hours, with doctors paying considerable attention to the front-man's knee which kept him out for sustained periods last term.
The Paraguay international is now expected to travel to the City of Manchester Stadium where he is expected to put the finishing touches on his contract.
However, Santa Cruz is not expected to be officially unveiled as a City player until some time next week to allow for manager Mark Hughes to return from his holiday.
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Santa Cruz signs for City at last
Roque Santa Cruz has finally renewed his successful working relationship with Mark Hughes by becoming the delighted Blues manager's second major signing of the summer at the City of Manchester Stadium.
Hughes plucked highly-rated Paraguay striker Santa Cruz from Bayern Munich two years ago for Blackburn and he responded by scoring 23 goals in 43 games in a great debut season for Rovers.
City's boss was keen for Santa Cruz to join his Blues revolution both last summer and in January, when the clubs were unable to agree a deal, but now the 27-year-old centre-forward follows Gareth Barry into the senior squad.
Roque began his professional career in with Olimpia Asuncion in his home town, helping them to two championship titles and himself to the Paraguayan Footballer of the Year award in 1999.
His eye-catching form earned him a move to Germany and he spent seven years with Bayern, making 155 appearances and helping them to three Bundesliga titles, the domestic double, and the Champions League in 2001.
Roque's brilliant debut season for Rovers - including a hat-trick in a thrilling 5-3 defeat at Wigan - soon convinced other top managers that he would make the Premier League grade, but he went to the head of Hughes' wish list almost as soon as they had parted company at Ewood Park.
Roque made his debut for Paraguay as a 17-year-old and has gone on to win 60 more caps. He is expected to lead their attack at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and clock up a third appearance in the finals.
Quotes from Roque Santa Cruz will follow shortly only on mcfc.co.uk
mcfc.co.uk
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hmm, ok
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Originally posted by limpper:
hmm, ok
another guy who wan $$.. than honor -
Money money money