ROQUE Santa Cruz has been named the Barclays Premier League player of the month for December.

The Rovers striker has been in fantastic recent form, netting eight goals in the seven matches played last month, taking his goal-tally for this season to fourteen, with the Paraguayan revealing that he is almost at the target he set himself at the beginning of the campaign.

"I am very honoured to receive this award, personally speaking December was a very successful month in terms of goals, I just wish it could have produced more positive results for the team," said Santa Cruz.

"I am really enjoying it at Rovers, when I arrived I set myself the aim of scoring around fifteen goals and it has gone very well. I am obviously hoping now that I can exceed that figure."

His manager Mark Hughes was delighted to hear of the news, with the award being fully justified after quickly settling into life in the English top-flight.

"He's been fantastic since he's come through the door," said the Rovers boss. "Not only have we been impressed by his technical ability and the pace and power that he has, but by his demeanour as well around the place.

"He's been a great addition to the squad and the team and we are delighted that he has done so well.

"He has had a difficult time in his football life and outside the game as well which he has been able to overcome.

"It was a big decision for him to come to the Premier League, he could very easily had stayed in Germany but he wasn't prepared to do that, he took it upon himself to get his career back on track and that is what he has done here."

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