ROQUE Santa Cruz is expecting to remain Blackburn Rovers’ property for the foreseeable future after his agent slammed Manchester City links as “rubbish”.

Rovers’ talisman is reported to have issued a ‘come and get me’ plea to former boss Mark Hughes on Paraguayan radio station Primero de Marzo, but his representatives insist Santa Cruz is content at Ewood.

A spokesperson for JB Sports2Business, his German-based agency, told the Lancashire Telegraph the striker has no plans to quit Lancashire in January, citing all recent speculation as wide of the mark.

Santa Cruz has been consistently linked with a move to Eastlands, after City had a bid turned down for him in the summer, with his latest alleged interview adding further fuel to the fire.

The former Bayern Munich man has been quoted as saying he would like to team up with Robinho at a team “that is fighting for important objectives”, but Santa Cruz’s camp has quickly distanced the striker from these comments.

His agency said: “I don’t think there is anything at all in these comments. Roque would not be so stupid as to say things like this, even if it was to a small radio station in Paraguay.

“Every time we speak to him he is very happy at Blackburn, that is why he signed a new contract this summer. Roque is not trying to line up a move away.

“There have been a number of stories in the newspapers saying he has said this but every time we speak to him, he says there is no truth in him looking for a move.

“That is all we can say on the subject really. He is very happy at Blackburn and has no reason to be looking for a move away. We believe a lot of things written are rubbish.”

A string of clubs were chasing Santa Cruz’s signature this summer, with Rovers fearful he would follow the exits of Brad Friedel and David Bentley.

The South American though pledged his future to Paul Ince’s men, signing a new four-year deal in August, with Rovers hopeful it would silence the speculation.

Rumours have continued to be rife since though, with a reunion with Hughes at Manchester City the favoured link, despite Rovers’ continued insistence the striker is not for sale.

Santa Cruz missed his country’s World Cup qualifying 1-0 win against Columbia on Saturday, and is out of tonight’s clash with Peru,with a hamstring injury and is fighting a race against time to be fit for Saturday’s local derby at Bolton.