Cape Town: Manchester City striker Roque Santa Cruz has expressed his determination to stay at the club, despite a disappointing Premier League campaign last season and reported recent interest from French champions Olympique Marseille.
Santa Cruz made just 19 league appearances for City last season following his move from Blackburn Rovers, completing the full 90 minutes only twice. But speaking exclusively to Goal.com, the striker expressed his continued delight at playing for club, and his ambition to stay at Eastlands next season to help Roberto Mancini's side win the trophies the club deserves.
"I'm proud to play for a team that has as many great ambitions as Manchester City," Santa Cruz told Goal.com.
"I want to win and make history with this club.
"I want to have a role within the team, which is why I hope my future lies here with the Citizens."
The 28-year-old forward is currently preparing for the World Cup in South Africa with Paraguay, where he will be expected to lead his country from the front as they look to escape Group F and progress to the knockout rounds of the competition.
Paraguay's first game in the tournament is against Italy on June 14. The current World Cup holders are among the favourites to progress through the group, which also includes Slovakia and New Zealand, but Santa Cruz is confident Paraguay can surprise the Azzurri and get off to a winning start.
"We are a fantastic group of players," he stated.
"I am very optimistic. We will fight to the end to obtain first place."
Santa Cruz will have to navigate his way past the formidable pairing of Fabio Cannavaro and Giorgio Chiellini — no easy feat for any striker — to get a positive result in Cape Town, but with Benfica's in-form hitman Oscar Cardozo likely to play alongside him he believes that is an achievable task.
"The Italian defence has always been famous around the world and those two players are very strong, they are champions," he acknowledged.
"But we are strong in attack and I think this is our best quality."
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