Blackburn Rovers striker Roque Santa Cruz says brother Julio is good enough to join him in the first team.

Roque, nine years his brother's senior, told the Lancashire Telegraph: "It is great to have Julio at Blackburn and I think he has the talent to play for the first team one day, it would be good to play together.

"He has the talent but now it is down to him and how he uses the opportunity. I believe he will work hard and make the most of what he has. He better hurry up though because I am getting old.

"I have also enjoyed getting to know him better because when I left Paraguay for Bayern Munich he was still very young."

Julio, who had been on trial with Rovers during the summer, moved to Ewood on a three-year deal from Cerro Porteno in his native Paraguay and has since been a regular up front for the reserves.