Roque Santa Cruz (Blackburn Rovers)

http://www.caughtoffside.com/2008/04/30/liverpool-want-12m-premier-league-striker-would-work-very-well-with-torres/6770.html

He scored 18 Goals this season and counting, but is assist record is low. His is commanding a whooping 12 million pounds and The Mighty REDS and the devils are going after his signature. Rafa Benitez believes he will work well with Torres. He scored that late consolation goal against US in the 3 - 1 crushing of Bloacburn Rovers.

What do you think?

Well he's certainly been banging in the goals for Blackburn, 17 in 35 appearances so far. The only concern I'd have is the fact that he didn't do a lot at Bayern, this could well be because he's better suited to English football but it could be that he's just having a good first season & won't continue to do so well. If it's the latter then it would be a fair bit of money wasted.

Well he's certainly been banging in the goals for Blackburn, 17 in 35 appearances so far. The only concern I'd have is the fact that he didn't do a lot at Bayern, this could well be because he's better suited to English football but it could be that he's just having a good first season & won't continue to do so well. If it's the latter then it would be a fair bit of money wasted.

I will prefer if we had a player with a very good assist record. This may turn out to be a hasty buy as he may not have been fully tested in the EPL. But IRWT - Rafa benitez must have observed him long enough.

Alos, He has scored 15 goals in the Premiership and 3 in the League cup competition.

From what I've seen he's a great header of the ball and a great finisher. But smaller clubs usually demand stupid money for their decent players.

He is a fantastic player no doubting that i would be happy if we bought him

We won't sell him after one season, hopefully we can keep him, and we will do better with McCarthy next season.

What's the fans take on him BRFC?

Well he has made our season so far, at £3.5m, dare I say it he is better value for money than your Torres at the moment, don't think he has scored a boring goal. And he has exceeded everyones expectations - even his in his first season, so I don't think we will sell him unless he stinks next season

At 3.5 million for sure that is buy of the season.

I mean, no offense to Liverpool and Torres, but for what was it £26.5m? You would expect Torres to create the chances he does and score those goals

20 million it was from Rafa's mouth. 30 goals in his first season from Spain, cant ask for more. Named the best striker in the Prem and possibly the world atm so that cant be too bad.

But still I have to agree 3.5mil for a player to score 17 goals in their first year is awesome..

Absolutely. Best valued buy in the season.

Everyone was raving about Mccarthy last season and this season he has been below average so I would be weary of Santa Cruz at this point. I am also scarred by the signing of bellamy who was on fire at BRFC before we signed him and then he flopped for us. Would rather go all out for Villa far more expensive but playing with Torres is mouthwatering...

Yeah not into buying Santa Cruz, just admiring a good buy.

That Villa/Torres partnership wont leave my mind. Just imagine seeing Villa next to Torres on the team sheet *drools*

Im sure the ladies will be drooling for an entirely different reason though...

Yeah not into buying Santa Cruz, just admiring a good buy.

That Villa/Torres partnership wont leave my mind. Just imagine seeing Villa next to Torres on the team sheet *drools*

Im sure the ladies will be drooling for an entirely different reason though...

Is Villa even on Rafa Benitez' Radar? Surely he must be aware of the quality of a striker like Villa.

Is Villa even on Rafa Benitez' Radar? Surely he must be aware of the quality of a striker like Villa.

Dont think rafa is even interested to be honest, seems extremely unlinkely he is.

He would be solodee but the price range isnt really making it any better for us.

Benni McCarthy had a good season last year scoring a few goals. Then this season he has been non exsitant could be same case with Santa Cruz and Blackburn would charge over the odds prices for him. He didnt exactly have a good goal scoring record at Bayern Munich which shows he may not handle the pressure of big clubs.

 I did read on one of the sports pages that Santa Cruz is quite happy at Blackburn and has no desire to leave.I agree with other posters about McCarthy having a good season last season but not too clever this season.I do feel Santa Cruz is a different class and will score goals whoever he plays for and would do well up front with Torres.

villa and torres would be great to watch but i doubt we could raise the money for him atm but santa cruz could be good with torres and we could afford him 12 mil a bit much tho

Blackburn... striker... reminds me of bellamy too much and we know how that turned out. Bellamy scored more than Santa Cruz aswell i think.

Liverpool line up swoop for Roque Santa Cruz

http://images.mirror.co.uk/upl/m4/apr2009/0/8/roque-santa-cruz-27781715.jpg

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.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/2009/04/21/liverpool-line-up-swoop-for-roque-santa-cruz-115875-21293327/

Use to be excited about his stats. But since the advent of David Bentley, Craig Bellamy and other sharks in small clubs that turn out to be tadpoles in a big club, I have become less enthusiastic about these types.