No deal for Santa Cruz

According to the MEN:

MANCHESTER City will have to do without long-time target Roque Santa Cruz.

A high asking priced combined with Blackburn struggling to find a replacement scuppered the move, despite reports that a deal was back on as the minutes ticked down to the 5pm deadline.

£25 million is clearly in excess of what Santa Cruz is worth, but we now find ourselves in a position without bringing a much needed player of that style to the club.

Disappointing therefore that it doesn't appear as though there was an alternative to Santa Cruz, and given Hughes's comments regarding the need for more presence up front, the hope as far as I can see is that Bojinov is almost ready to return to action.

A big ask for a player who has effectively been out for 18 months though.