Santa Cruz completes move from Bayern to Blackburn

LONDON, July 28 (Reuters) Blackburn Rovers have signed striker Roque Santa Cruz from Bayern Munich, the English Premier League club announced on their Web site today.

The 25-year-old Paraguay international has agreed a four-year deal at Ewood Park with Rovers boss Mark Hughes quoted on the site (www.roverspremiumtv.co.uk) saying: ''He is a young player, an international with a good reputation.

''The good thing from our point of view is that his fitness levels are fine as he has been playing for Paraguay in the Copa America.'' German media reports said Blackburn had paid 3.5 million 7.12 million dollars for the striker.

During his eight years with Bayern, Santa Cruz won the Champions League, five Bundesliga titles, four German Cups and a World Club Cup winner's medal.

He scored 31 goals in 155 league appearances for Bayern and joins a club with a plethora of strikers including Benni McCarthy, Jason Roberts, Matt Derbyshire and new signing Marco Rigters.

Santa Cruz has slipped down the pecking order at Bayern, who added three strikers in the close season including Italy's Luca Toni and Miroslav Klose from Werder Bremen.

REUTERS TB BD2036