Manchester City striker Roque Santa Cruz wants to quit the club and link up with Queens Park Rangers manager Mark Hughes for a third time.

The 30-year-old is desperate to leave the Etihad Stadium after starting just eight games since he joined for £17.5million from Blackburn in 2009. He spent last leason on loan at Spanish side Real Betis.

QPR are looking for another striker to strengthen their attack and they appear no closer to clinching a deal for Liverpool’s Craig Bellamy or Jermain Defoe, of Tottenham.

Hughes signed Santa Cruz from Bayern Munich in 2007 during his time at Blackburn and then again when he was in charge of Manchester City.

With Carlos Tevez, Edin Dzeko, Sergio Aguero, Mario Balotelli and Emmanuel Adebayor on the wage bill, City are desperate to sell Santa Cruz and the forward admits he would relish working with Hughes again.

The Paraguay international said: “Everybody knows that I have big respect for him and will always be very thankful to him for the time we worked together.

“I hope that he will have a great season and achieve his goals. I want to play, I want to do good and I want to be successful. Who knows, we might work back together. I haven’t spoken to him or anybody, so it might be a long way to happen, but the important thing for me is to be fit to try to go to a place where I will play.”

QPR are expected to complete the signing of Canadian Junior Hoilett from Blackburn. The 22-year-old seemed to have snubbed them in favour of Borussia Monchengladbach when he flew out to Germany for talks last week but has had a change of heart.

Rangers have already signed Rob Green, Park Ji-Sung, Andy Johnson, and Ryan Nelsen as well as taking Fabio on loan from Manchester United this summer.