KADER
02-06-2002, 06:56:AM
Yep.... its confirmed :)He signed a 5-Year contract :)
Liverpool have confirmed that Senegal forward El Hadji Diouf has signed a five-year deal with the club less than 24 hours after the African Footballer of the Year told onefootball.com he would be moving to Anfield.
Liverpool spokesman Ian Cotton said on Saturday: ""We can confirm that African Footballer of the Year El Hadji Diouf has now signed a five-year deal with Liverpool, which is wonderful news for everyone at the club."
The £10 million-rated former Lens forward led from the front as Senegal pulled off one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history, and afterwards he claimed he would be plying his trade in the Premiership next season.
"I'm delighted to be joining Liverpool," he said. "I want to become one of the best players in the world and I'm sure that at Liverpool and with a great coach like Gerard Houllier I can do that."
Liverpool have been chasing Diouf for some time, and he was the principle reason Houllier decided against making Nicolas Anelka's loan deal a permanent one. Anfield bosses have not confirmed a deal yet, but on Thursday revealed they were in talks with the player.
For the time being though, Diouf is concentrating on the World Cup. "Football is all about pleasure and giving pleasure. This is a great night for the Senegalese people and we want to give them more gifts," he said.
Lens coach Joel Muller admitted last week that he would not stand in the way of Diouf should he decide to quit the Stade Felix-Bollaert in the summer.
"It would just be stupid and authoritarian of us to stand in his way if he wants to go," he said.
Muller also confirmed that approaches had been made for the 21-year-old. "He has had several interesting offers and may leave," he said. "There has been no cooling of relations between us and him."
The African Player of the year for 2001, Diouf joined Lens for £3.5 million last summer after being deemed surplus to requirements by Rennes, where a turbulent spell was brought to an end when he crashed a team-mate's car while driving uninsured.
Under Muller, though, Diouf has blossomed, and was a key figure in Senegal's maiden World Cup qualification.
Liverpool have confirmed that Senegal forward El Hadji Diouf has signed a five-year deal with the club less than 24 hours after the African Footballer of the Year told onefootball.com he would be moving to Anfield.
Liverpool spokesman Ian Cotton said on Saturday: ""We can confirm that African Footballer of the Year El Hadji Diouf has now signed a five-year deal with Liverpool, which is wonderful news for everyone at the club."
The £10 million-rated former Lens forward led from the front as Senegal pulled off one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history, and afterwards he claimed he would be plying his trade in the Premiership next season.
"I'm delighted to be joining Liverpool," he said. "I want to become one of the best players in the world and I'm sure that at Liverpool and with a great coach like Gerard Houllier I can do that."
Liverpool have been chasing Diouf for some time, and he was the principle reason Houllier decided against making Nicolas Anelka's loan deal a permanent one. Anfield bosses have not confirmed a deal yet, but on Thursday revealed they were in talks with the player.
For the time being though, Diouf is concentrating on the World Cup. "Football is all about pleasure and giving pleasure. This is a great night for the Senegalese people and we want to give them more gifts," he said.
Lens coach Joel Muller admitted last week that he would not stand in the way of Diouf should he decide to quit the Stade Felix-Bollaert in the summer.
"It would just be stupid and authoritarian of us to stand in his way if he wants to go," he said.
Muller also confirmed that approaches had been made for the 21-year-old. "He has had several interesting offers and may leave," he said. "There has been no cooling of relations between us and him."
The African Player of the year for 2001, Diouf joined Lens for £3.5 million last summer after being deemed surplus to requirements by Rennes, where a turbulent spell was brought to an end when he crashed a team-mate's car while driving uninsured.
Under Muller, though, Diouf has blossomed, and was a key figure in Senegal's maiden World Cup qualification.