Blackburn's gamble in buying Roque Santa Cruz has been praised by Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill. Rovers snapped the Paraguayan up for a bargain £3.5million in the summer of 2007 after an injury-plagued spell at Bayern Munich.
O'Neill said: "I think he is a real quality player. He had fitness problems at Bayern Munich. He was a fantastic signing by Blackburn Rovers and stayed fit throughout the course of the year.
"He seems to be enjoying himself. Santa Cruz is not somebody who just came out of the blue.
"Great credit to Blackburn Rovers for taking him at the time, taking the chance that he would regain that fitness - because fitness was the only concern with him, not his ability."