STEVE Kean has insisted that Roque Santa Cruz still has the quality to recapture the form that once made him Blackburn Rovers’ leading scorer – even though the Paraguayan is now eight games without a goal since returning to the club.

Santa Cruz was denied by the crossbar in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at home to Birmingham but a hamstring injury restricted him to an hour as he sought his first goal since rejoining Rovers on loan from Manchester City in January.

The 29-year-old scored 23 goals during the first season of his initial spell with the club but Kean believes that – like £50m Fernando Torres at Chelsea, who is also without a goal – a combination of fitness problems and the timing of Santa Cruz’s return have made life tough.

“It is difficult moving in January,” said the Rovers boss, who confirmed again that he still wants to sign the striker on a permanent deal in the summer.

“But the advantage for Roque is that there are still a lot of the players here from when he was here the first time.

“He has looked quality every day in training and the only thing that is missing for Roque is having a full run without any niggling injuries so he can be totally focused about playing in the game, not protecting a little knock.”