Santa Cruz deserves better than City role – Mancini

(GSM) – Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has opened the door for striker Roque Santa Cruz to leave the Eastlands club by admitting the latter deserves to be in a better role than the one he is currently in at the City of Manchester.

The Paraguay international was recently quoted as stating his desire to depart from his City, where he has been restricted to a bench-role.

And having played only once this season, the former Blackburn Rovers star has been given the green light to leave City by his Italian manager.

Mancini said: “Roque is a fantastic man and a good player, but he knows the situation here. I am very sorry for him because Roque deserves to play every game because he works very well.

“But it is difficult at the moment. I hope for him that he can go to play for another team because he deserves this.”

Santa Cruz’s career at City has been hindered with a series of injuries which troubled his adaptation since he moved to Eastlands from Blackburn in 2009.