Di Santo to Blackburn on loan

[abramovich]

http://www.blackburn.vitalfootball.co.uk/a...le.asp?a=157635

It has been revealed today that young Chelsea striker Franco Di Santo may well be joining Blackburn Rovers on a year long loan deal.

Rovers boss Sam Allardyce has first refusal on Di Santo.

The Russian backed club are prepared to let the 6ft 4in Argentinean go on a one-year loan to get Premier League experience.

Chelsea signed Di Santo, a member of the Argentina under-20 side, from Chilean side Audax Italiano a year ago, ironically, the same side that our own fallen Chilean hero, Carlos Kickaball (Villanueva) was loaned from.

Allardyce hopes Di Santo is a done deal but Chelsea's new boss Carlo Ancelotti wants to see him train and play before deciding if he can go on loan, so the move is on ice until mid-July.

It is also rumoured that Ince was an admirer of Di Santo and after he had signed for Chelsea last summer, as he knew Di Santo's agent, asked if he could find someone similar to Franco and recommended Carlos.

There are numerous clubs over the European continent interested in Di Santo with Spanish side Espanyol interested and allegedly, his agents have also been having discussions with Everton and Middlesbrough but Rovers have the first refusal.

Blackburn have a top level agreement with the Chelsea hierarchy that any loan deal will be with them. Rovers have had to agree with Chelsea that di Santo WILL play.

The player will go where he is told apparently. His agent is employed by Chelsea, so there is no great problem there.

It is worth noting also that Franco Di Santo is in the Chelsea first team squad and has played under Hiddink and Scolari.

In that superstar team he has been handed the number 9 shirt and has already received rave reviews from people within the camp.

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Great news, if true. Franco needs to be playing regularly.

[g3.7]

I think it is good news, but only if he plays.

sahar to portsmouth was a disaster, and I don't want to see him play well and not get a real chance to come back and make an impression, like mika after moenchengladbach and the first spell at brum.

although santa cruz will leave and allardyce has preferred a big defender to benni mccarthy up front alone so perhaps with franco's height etc he'll go there and play.

[MHedges]

This could be a great thing for us if he ends up playing. I would love to see more of this to give the boys some confidence.

[Maksimov]

Rovers have had to agree with Chelsea that di Santo WILL play.

This is the part that I liked the most about that post. If he goes to Blackburn, I certainly hope he plays at least somewhat regularly.

[The Moos]

With him heading for Blackburn could this be a sign of a new striker joining us? Or perhaps we're just making space for Shevas return :D

[Blue_Boy]

With him heading for Blackburn could this be a sign of a new striker joining us? Or perhaps we're just making space for Shevas return :unsure:

I think Aguero will be signed, so that means we could have three attackers next season in Drogs, Nico and Kun.

I like it :D

[Ruh Buh Juh]

If he goes, I hope he comes back brimming with confidence.

And is that trye, there's a footballer called Carlos Kickaball? You can't make that up.

[moi]

And is that trye, there's a footballer called Carlos Kickaball? You can't make that up.

I'm veering towards thinking that maybe you can...... but I'm not sure :D

[mad_mac]

I think it is a nickname that the Rover fans have given their own player

[TomP]

I think if this was true, it would be a pretty great deal for us.

However, I can't believe for a second that Blackurn (or anyone else) would EVER agree to a deal where they are forced to start him whenever he's available.

It wouldn't happen for so many reasons.

I think if we end up keeping Anelka and Drogba, and we sign Sturridge, and we sign someone like an Aguerro or a Ribery, then we should actively try and loan out Di Santo.

The odd league cup start for us against division 2 sides and the odd 10-minutes at the end of a match where we are already coasting is not going to teach us or him anything.

Blackburn's not a bad option as they are a Premeriship side, who play a lot of physical football. And importantly they play 2 up front a lot of the time, which should really aide his development, rather than having the huge responsibility of leading the line on your own.

At the end of the day, what we need to figure out with Di Santo is whether or not he is an option for a Drogba replacement in the next couple of seasons. Physically, he's pretty much the finished article, but what we need to see is whether he has the technique to cut it on the biggest stage in pressure situations.

What we also have to remember is that the odds are stacked against him. Sure, he's been great in the reserves, but arguably not as good as Carlton Cole or Mika Forsell were a few years ago.

I would say there's about a 1 in 10 chance of him netting 15 goals for Blackburn, outshining Santa Cruz and returning to us as a nailed on member of the squad next seeason, but theres a 9 in 10 chance that he won't stand out any more than the likes of Jason Roberts and Benni McCarthy, and we will be looking to offload him in a year or 2 years time. Just my opinion.

[kalpitv]

I would say there's about a 1 in 10 chance of him netting 15 goals for Blackburn, outshining Santa Cruz and returning to us as a nailed on member of the squad next seeason, but theres a 9 in 10 chance that he won't stand out any more than the likes of Jason Roberts and Benni McCarthy, and we will be looking to offload him in a year or 2 years time. Just my opinion.

Isn't he on his way to Man City? I think that is the main reason behind Di Santo been sought after for a loan deal.

Edited June 15, 2009 by kalpitv

[Ruh Buh Juh]

I think it is a nickname that the Rover fans have given their own player

Well that's a shame. I'd love it if a footballer's real surname was Kickaball.

Moi - it was just a figure of speech :D

[bjd]

Im pretty sure Carlos Kickerball was a name invented by Alan Sugar when MD of Sp*rz to describe overpaid, average foreign footballers.

But i could be wrong. It happens.

[PloKoon13]

Im pretty sure Carlos Kickerball was a name invented by Alan Sugar when MD of Sp*rz to describe overpaid, average foreign footballers.

But i could be wrong. It happens.

Yeah, it was after the Ardilles 'revolution'.

I didn't know it was Alan Sugar who said it though.