Aston Villa manager Gerard Houllier is considering replacing Norwegian striker John Carew with Manchester City’s bench warmer Roque Santa Cruz, according to The Mirror
The 31-year-old is out of contract next summer and Villa do not intend to renew his £52,000-a-week deal.
Houllier is now listening to offers for Carew’s services, after selling him to Villa from Lyon in a part-exchange deal for former Liverpool striker Milan Baros in 2007.
Carew was forced to miss Villa’s League Cup win over Burnley on Wednesday due to illness, leaving Houllier without a recognised striker in his starting line-up.
The Norway international does not seem to fit the Frenchman’s strict training regime with his laid back demeanour and time-keeping attitude.
Carew has fallen down the ranks after Heskey’s recent performances for Villa, and will fall even further when England international Gabriel Agbonlahor returns from injury.
Houllier seeks to urgently replace the striker despite Villa’s aim to reduce their wage bill.
Manchester City’s forward Roque Santa Cruz seems available at a reduced price, despite costing Eastlands £17.5 million after transferring from Blackburn Rovers in 2009.
The Paraguayan looks like Carew’s performance, having only appeared 20 times - mostly from the bench - and scoring three times since moving to Eastlands 18 months ago.
Santa Cruz would need a severance deal from City, however, while Carew’s likely destination is Turkey or Italy, with Fenerbache and Sampdoria ready to pounce for the Norwegian.
