Diouf desperate to stay

Last updated : 09 July 2004 By Chris Maxwell
The maverick Senegal international has been strongly linked with a loan-move to Portsmouth alongside compatriot Salif Diao, but he insists that he is determined to remain on Merseyside to fulfil his ambitions in the Premiership.

Diouf, speaking to the club's official website, said: "I have a contract with Liverpool and my objective is to stay here. I left France to succeed in the Premiership and I have not yet done that. I want to demonstrate to Benitez I can serve a purpose for his project.

"There are teams that are interested in me but Liverpool have said nothing to me about it. I would only leave England to play in a league like Spain's which, perhaps next to England, is the best in the world."