City call off Santa Cruz's Rovers return
Manchester City have put a block on Roque Santa Cruz’s return to Blackburn on loan.
City want to off-load the Paraguayan striker, but are loath to let him go back to Ewood Park without the promise of a full-time buy at the end of the loan spell.
Santa Cruz has had a nightmare at Eastlands since his £17million switch from Rovers at the start of last season and now City are looking to claw back some of the cash.
Rovers boss Steve Kean is reluctant to take the player back full-time however, and is hoping to do a wage-share deal once City have exhausted their other options.
Edin Dzeko's move to Manchester City has not been without its problems after the Wolfsburg striker was left stranded at Heathrow airport because he did not have the correct visa. the Sun
Wayne Bridge is set to join Aston Villa from Manchester City - after West Ham’s cash crisis ruled out a move to Upton Park.
Former Chelsea and England left-back Bridge was poised for a return to the capital from City, only for West Ham to tell him they did not have the money to meet the shortfall in his £80,000 per week Eastlands wages.
That left the door open for Gerard Houllier to tie up a deal for the 30-year-old to move to Villa Park until the end of the season, with a view to a permanent deal.
The collapse of the Hammers' move for Bridge comes after boss Avram Grant also missed out on signing Villa midfielder Steve Sidwell and Spurs striker Robbie Keane for similar reasons.
Sidwell had been keen on a switch to Upton Park, only for the cash problems to scupper the move and open the way for Wolves and Fulham to move for the player.
West Ham's lack of money meant initial interest in Birmingham City-bound Keane petered out swiftly, leaving the injury-plagued Grant increasingly frustrated by the club’s inability to freshen up a squad that looked dead on its feet in Wednesday’s mauling at Newcastle.
Grant is without 10 first team players through injury, with main summer signing Thomas Hitzlsperger still to kick a ball for the club and defenders Manuel Da Costa and Lars Jacobsen and midfielder Jack Collison among the long-term casualties.
Former Manchester City manager Sven-Goran Eriksson reveals his fractious relationship with former Eastlands chairman Thaksin Shinawatra. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 345053.stm
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OTHER BOLLOX
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Meanwhile, the new American owners at Anfield have been warned key players, such as striker Fernando Torres and keeper Pepe Reina, will leave in the summer if the right boss is not chosen and they don't get reassurances of major investment. the Guardian
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West Ham boss Avram Grant has been given two games to save his job, the FA Cup tie with Barnsley and Carling Cup semi-final first leg against Birmingham. Guardian
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Argentina's friendly against Portugal at the Emirates Stadium on 9 February has been moved to Geneva. Daily Mail
Replays could be abolished in an attempt to revive interest in the FA Cup. Guardian
Sunderland's Asamoah Gyan had booked a winter break under the impression that English football stopped at Christmas. Daily Mirror
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