Allardyce confident of Diouf swoop

Bolton manager Sam Allardyce believes he is still in pole position to sign Liverpool striker El-Hadji Diouf despite interest from Italian club Fiorentina.

The Senegal international was at the Reebok Stadium last night to undergo the second part of his medical and the Trotters boss is confident the player will join.

Bolton were aware of Fiorentina’s interest but the Wanderers boss is already planning to involve Diouf in Saturday’s match at Fulham.

“I would hope to have him travel with us,” Allardyce told the Bolton Evening News.

“Whether we put him in the squad we’ll have to wait and see. If not this weekend, then certainly for Southampton on Wednesday.”

The £10m (€14.8m) two-time African player of the year was former Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier’s biggest disappointment after failing to reproduce his sparkling form of the 2002 World Cup in the Premiership.

However, Allardyce hopes to rediscover the talent which first convinced Houllier to spend so heavily on a virtual unknown.

“One would hope he could rekindle his own career,” said the Bolton boss.

“We’ll give him the tools to do that and hopefully he’ll start playing football and enjoying himself again.”