Roque Santa Cruz is poised to re-join Blackburn Rovers on loan, Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has revealed.
Paraguay international Santa Cruz left Rovers to join City in a £17.5m deal in the summer of 2009, but has made just eight starts for the Eastlands outfit since then.
The 29-year-old slipped further out of favour when Mario Balotelli completed his move from Inter Milan last summer, and the January arrival of Edin Dzeko from Wolfsburg all but spelled the end for his time with City.
And when asked if Santa Cruz was set to return to Ewood Park on a temporary basis, Mancini told Sky Sports News: “Probably.
“For Roque and for Shaun (Wright-Phillips) it's the same situation. They're good players but every player wants to play and, for me, it's difficult.
“I understand their situation very well, and if they have the opportunity to go to another team and play all the time, it's better for them.”