Manchester City’s Roque Santa Cruz looks set to leave
Manchester City striker Roque Santa Cruz has confirmed that he expects to leave the club in January due to a lack of first team opportunities.
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has not considered Santa Cruz in the majority of games this season and admitted that the player would find it extremely difficult to make it into his starting 11.
Santa Cruz is now resigned to the fact that he will most likely have to move on if he is to play first team football.
"I can't see myself playing in the team and that's frustrating. When the boss does not believe in you then you can't push him to do so," said Santa Cruz in an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live.
The player has had a terrible run of injury problems while at Blackburn Rovers and when he joined Manchester City, but Santa Cruz has been fit this season and is disappointed that he has not been given an opportunity by Mancini.
"It's frustrating for me because I'm healthy and I'll keep working hard on my fitness, but once the time comes I'll have to look at my options of playing somewhere else. There is no alternative."
Fulham manager Mark Hughes has already expressed his interest in Santa Cruz and attempted to sign the player on a loan deal during the summer.
The Welsh manager added, "I'm interested in players of the quality of Roque. My interest in him before was there for everybody to see and whether we pursue that in January is open to debate. I'm not aware that he's available. That might change."
Mancini may be inclined to loan or sell the striker to a club like Fulham as the Manchester City manager has failed to find a place on the bench for Santa Cruz for much of the season.
With strikers such as Mario Balotelli, Carlos Tevez and Emmanuel Adebayor all fighting for a position, Santa Cruz believes his days at City are numbered.
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