Ince: Villa can't afford Santa Cruz

Blackburn manager Paul Ince has warned Aston Villa off a January move for Roque Santa Cruz by insisting they do not have the money to prise him from Ewood Park.

The Paraguay striker signed a new four-year deal with Rovers over the summer, but he has already been linked with a transfer to Manchester City who are now managed by Mark Hughes, the man who took him to the Lancashire club in 2007.

Villa are now reported to have joined City in the race for the South American, but Ince, speaking to The Sun, claimed: “Villa can’t afford him.

“When it gets near to the transfer window, people start coming out with all these things.

“Roque signed a four-year deal, he came out and said he loves it at Blackburn. He wants to stay here and we want him to stay here.

“Until that changes, that’s the only situation that matters.”