Happy Santa – Will it be a Roque Ride or a Cruz Control?

After a less than pulsating previous week in the transfer market, Man City seem to have sprung into action. Following the arrival of Gareth Barry from Aston Villa, the Blues have confirmed the signing of Paraguayan striker Roque Luis Santa Cruz Cantero from Blackburn after the forward passed a medical at Eastlands yesterday afternoon, and there is a high probability that Manchester United glamour-boy Carlos Tevéz will join as well.

The deal was confirmed on City’s official club website at 5.22pm yesterday and it is believed that the Blues parted with over £17 million for the services of Santa Cruz, who is thought to have comfortably passed a rigorous medical. There had been slight concern about the condition of the Paraguayan, especially with regard to his knee, an area in which he suffered a serious injury last season.

Having already worked with Mark Hughes, the forward, who will add some much-needed height to City’s Leviathan attack, is highly regarded by Sparky, and City have had countless bids rejected on previous occasions for Santa Cruz. In last January alone, it was reported that City had four offers turned down, with Sam Allardyce unwilling to sell the player with Blackburn’s relegation still possible. But it seems that the Blues’ persistence has finally paid off and Mark Hughes will be delighted with his second addition to the squad this summer.

Let’s hope that City’s kitmen can do a better job than their Blackburn counterparts

The former Bayern Munich striker started his career at a local club in Paraguay before sealing a move to the Germans in 1997. There, he scored 31 goals in over 150 appearances whilst cementing his place in the national side, where he has currently netted 20 goals in 61 matches. Unfortunately, he fell behind Luca Toni and Miroslav Klose in the striking pecking order, and he was promptly signed by Mark Hughes for Blackburn Rovers. In his first season in the Premier League, he was Blackburn’s standout performer, scoring on his debut and providing the supporters with much to cheer about. He finished the campaign as their top scorer and was linked in the summer with a move to City.

Ultimately, he signed a new long-term contract at Blackburn, but with Hughes departing and being replaced by Sam Allardyce, Santa Cruz never regained his form of the previous campaign. A severe injury played its part in disrupting his season, and as the January transfer window approached, he was linked on a plethora of occasions with City. A move never materialised and he recovered from injury to take his place in the Rovers’ side which avoided relegation narrowly.

How Santa Cruz may look in a City shirt

In my opinion, this is another very good signing for City, as long as Santa Cruz is able to stay injury-free. Mark Hughes knows the player very well, so if he was this intent on buying him for City, then I will fully support the manager. Santa Cruz will add physical presence to the Citizens’ strike force, and it will be interesting to see if he is partnered by Craig Bellamy, who would add pace to the attack, or by Valeri Bojinov, whose link-up play is second to none. Alternatively, there is a strong possibility that another striker may join the club, with Carlos Tevéz and Samuel Eto’o both strongly linked to City. Whatever happens, the future is bright; the future is blue.

Please let me know below what you think of this arrival.