ROVERS skipper Ryan Nelsen believes Ewood Park remains the best place for Roque Santa Cruz after dismissing the striker’s links with Manchester City as just speculation.

Reports from Paraguay quoted Santa Cruz as saying he would be interested in a move to Eastlands to partner Robinho, although his agent was quick to play down the reports to the Lancashire Telegraph.

Nelsen has now spoken out about the constant rumours surrounding the Paraguayan but insists there would be no player pressure to keep Santa Cruz a Rover.

He said: “From Blackburn's side I think what the manager can give him, what the club can give him is something these other clubs can't give him.

"He is really enjoying his football I think.

“I suppose he has turned his career around in a way, where at Bayern Munich it probably wasn't going as well and now he has really kicked on again and he understands Blackburn has done very well for him in that time.

“Roque is big and ugly enough to handle it himself really without me sitting down and talking to him.

"There is a lot of players that get rumours here and there.

"He has got to do what is best for him.

"He is a lovely guy and I know he will make the right decision whether I am talking in his ear, the gaffer is talking in his ear or the papers are making stuff up.”