Sam Allardyce knows a thing or two about bargaining

The Citizens £12m offer of Blackburn striker Roque Santa Cruz was rejected with Mark Hughes noting on the club web-site:

“We have made a substantially improved bid but it was rejected. We still want to bring Roque Santa Cruz to the Club if we can, but obviously he is Blackburn’s player and at the moment they do not want to deal at the level we have made a bid at. That’s their prerogative. We bid £12million in the summer, and this was significantly higher.”

This should not come as a surprise given the entire sport knows Man City is desperate to reverse its fortune. Given the poor bargaining position they are in, Blackburn made a very calculated decision in refusing the offer and trying to bid up the price. Calculated risk? Absolutely and big Sam Allardyce knows on the other side of the table they have one of Mark Hughes must trusted strikers.

If City wants the Paraguay international immediately it will cost them, otherwise this could come down to a the later stages of the transfer window.