Marseille look to keep Cisse

Marseille president Pape Diouf has declared his intention to keep Djibril Cisse at the Stade Velodrome next season.

The flamboyant striker, 25, has spent this season on loan at the Mediterranean club from Liverpool with a view to a permanent move.

After continuing his recovery from a career-threatening broken leg sustained in the build up to last year’s World Cup, Cisse finally made his first start for Marseille in early December, scoring in a 2-1 win over St Etienne.

Since then, the Frenchman has scored 14 times in 26 appearances, including a brace in the dramatic French cup final defeat at the hands of Sochaux.

And the form shown by Cisse since his comeback has promopted Diouf to arrange negotiations with Liverpool now the season has come to an end.

He told the club’s official website: “I think in spite of the problems Djibril has experienced, a lot of people would be happy if he was to remain with us, and I think he would be happy to remain with us.

“The Djibril we saw at the end of the season is exactly the Djibril we went looking for at the start of the season.

“He wanted to come here and nowhere else, and I think he would continue to play for us if the conditions of the deal were met.

“We have not been able to give a response to Liverpool because we had a season to finish and they had a Champions League final to play.

“They have happened and nothing can now stop us starting discussions with them.

“But it is necessary, first of all, to talk to the player. That is what we should do in the next few days.”

Cisse joined Liverpool from Auxerre for £14m in 2004.