Roque Santa Cruz (Man City)

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is apparently considering a move for Manchester City's forgotten man Roque Santa Cruz.

The Anfield manager is desperately trying to bring in more new additions to his failing squad but is having to do so on a shoestring budget but hopes that he could convince Roberto Mancini to sell by offering Eastlands target Yossi Benayoun as bait.

The Daily Mirror reported back in December that Benitez was considering a move for the Paraguayan but nothing came of their interest but having seen the former Blackburn Rovers man consigned to a season of bench warming the Merseyside club believe they could lure the £17.5m man to the club.

Roque Santa Cruz managed just six Premier League starts last term and it seems increasingly likely to be another season of despair at the club unless he can manage to cement an exit. Manchester City are not likely to accept offers for the 28 year old that are not on or around the fee they paid Rovers last summer and that kind of bid just isn't likely to come from Liverpool.

However Roberto Mancini is known to be a fan of Israeli international Yossi Benayoun and given that Rafa Benitez doesn't appear to see the attacking midfielder as part of his first team plans he may be wisely used as a bargaining chip in any potential deal.

Liverpool urgently need new attacking options to help carry the burden so heavily placed on Fernando Torres and even though the club has signed Milan Jovanovic on a free transfer the club could well do with yet more firepower and the potential partnership of Santa Cruz and the Spanish goal machine would surely be one that could work well.

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/media-watch/reds-target-city-striker

Definitely don't want him.

He had one good season with Blackburn. He's sh*t now.

I disagree.  I'd love to have him.  He was excellent with Blackburn the season before last and even with Bayern Munich he was always a decent goal threat.  He wont' score 30 goals obviously but he'd be our clear number two option and I think he could contribute 15-18.  Clearly 17.5M is too much for him, but if the price is right, I'd be happy with this.

If we get him at a decent price could be a decent player for us.Definitely won't break the bank for him.

I disagree.  I'd love to have him.  He was excellent with Blackburn the season before last and even with Bayern Munich he was always a decent goal threat.  He wont' score 30 goals obviously but he'd be our clear number two option and I think he could contribute 15-18.  Clearly 17.5M is too much for him, but if the price is right, I'd be happy with this.

I agree with this. You dont become a bad player over night. He wasnt given a run of games this season. He would score 15 or more goals I think. The most I would pay for him is \round £7-8 million though?

Average player. Benitez has already bought lots of average players recently and he's not an exception. What about Adam Johnson? This guy is a potential top player!

If we get him at a decent price could be a decent player for us.Definitely won't break the bank for him.

I agree with this opinion,and would not sell Jossi to bring him.Jossi should stay in Anfield.

He is apparently struggling in the form department so for citeh to want anywhere near the £17m they paid is a joke, especially when you consider they were throwing money around like a lunatic at the time and definitely paid over the odds. If they hold Yossi in such high esteem maybe a straight swap would be in order.
It would surely be of benefit to Nando with Javanovic and Santa Cruz ready to share the attacking role and take some weight off his back.  

You don't become a bad player overnight neither do you become a good player, before Santa Cruz one good season at Blackburn he had never scored more than 6 league goals in a season.

 In between his injury plagued career he was a completely diaster at Bayern. He has been F***ing awful at City. I'm getting sick of people thinking one good season at Blackburn makes a someone a good player.

With his injury record and his goal scoring record I would be disgusted with this signing.

I agree with corballyred, during all his career in Europe (he's 28), he only scored more than 10 goals in one season.

17 million for that? Injury prone too?

F**k that.

Overrated? Injury Prone? That sounds like Rafa!


In all seriousness I can't ever see this happening.

Has never scored over 10 goals in a single season since he left his club in brazil.

He scored 19 in his first season at Blackburn in the league and 23 in all competitions.

http://www.jarrowandhebburngazette.com/latest-sport/Transfer-rumours-Thursday-August-19.6483043.jp

I have no idea how reliable this site is, but they say that liverpool are weighing up an approch for Santa Cruz and maybe Bridge
really hope this happends
but don';t know where we are going to get the money from unless we sell mash

http://www.jarrowandhebburngazette.com/latest-sport/Transfer-rumours-Thursday-August-19.6483043.jp

I have no idea how reliable this site is, but they say that liverpool are weighing up an approch for Santa Cruz and maybe Bridge
really hope this happends

It's just a gossip column, much like the one on the BBC website, the original source is www.caughtoffside.com, something Peter Crouch has given Abbey Clancy a practical test on.

I have no idea how reliable this site is, but they say that liverpool are weighing up an approch for Santa Cruz and maybe Bridge
really hope this happends
but don';t know where we are going to get the money from unless we sell mash

We are after a left back and a striker. City have Bridge and Santa Cruz to spare.

I firmly beleive that the original source have, quite possible, invented this story. You heard it here first.

We are after a left back and a striker. City have Bridge and Santa Cruz to spare.

I firmly beleive that the original source have, quite possible, invented this story. You heard it here first.

This isn't true. If we got these 2 i would honestly be really pissed off because they are both very much passed it.

Bridge £2m - Santa Cruz £2.5m <<< i'm feeling generous on their valuations there.

2 Poor buys!

We are after a left back and a striker. City have Bridge and Santa Cruz to spare.

I firmly beleive that the original source have, quite possible, invented this story. You heard it here first.

k thanks
so anything from that site is just gossip?

Would be a joke of a signing as I said before barring that one season with Blackburn has never scored more than 6 goals in the league in a season. How F***ing injury prone is he as well. Him and Bridge that has to be a piss take.

Why are we always linked with Roque? Would be cheap yes and had one good season at Blackburn but why not Robinho?  Much better player (ok he's temperamental too but Roy could deal with that).

Noooo, he has never given this club the respect it deserves, and he's sh*te, let him rot at Eastlands.

Why are we always linked with Roque? Would be cheap yes and had one good season at Blackburn but why not Robinho?  Much better player (ok he's temperamental too but Roy could deal with that).

Apparently he is off to Beskitas