Manchester City target Roque Santa Cruz for one final time

Manchester City boss Mark Hughes will offer £15million for Roque Santa Cruz today in a final effort to sign his old Blackburn striker - and team him up with Craig Bellamy.

Hughes has talked City's money men into one last straight-cash bid for the Paraguayan, who has made no secret of his desire to join him at Eastlands, and the move could finally happen in the next 48 hours.

Several of City's previous offers for Santa Cruz have included staged payments, but this is money up-front that gives Sam Allardyce the cash and time to get a replacement.

Rovers may make an attempt to take young Daniel Sturridge on loan for the rest of the season as Santa Cruz's ready-made successor.

Sturridge, 19, is out of contract in June and Hughes, who does not want to lose him, could have to decide whether to let him go to Rovers and risk him liking the set-up at Ewood Park and angling to stay.

Blackburn want a quick resolution to the Santa Cruz saga. They know their South American star wants to leave and have been trying to find someone to take his place.

Boss Allardyce had teed up a move for Marc Janko, but Red Bull Salzburg want £9m for the Austrian hitman.

Hughes is confident of completing Santa Cruz's long-awaited capture after finalising a move for Bellamy from West Ham. The Welshman passed a medical and last night signed a four-and-a-half-year deal.

"It is going to be incredible here over the next couple of years,"

Bellamy said. "There are so many things happening here that are out of this world, it was an offer I just could not walk away from."

Bellamy will enjoy a contract worth around £80,000 a week - the kind of money that has also tempted Santa Cruz. City eventually had to pay £12m for Bellamy, double what they first offered for him a month ago. But rival bids from Tottenham pushed the price higher - and they decided to pay.