MARSEILLE, December 13 (Ligue 1) - Marseille president Pape Diouf has left the
door open for Djibril Cisse to leave the club in the January transfer window.
Cisse has struggled to nail down a first-team place at OM since moving there
on a permanent basis from Liverpool in the summer, having impressed in a loan
spell the previous season.
Mamadou Niang has been preferred in the lone-striker role, and Diouf admitted
Cisse is unhappy with the situation he finds himself in.
'We kept him this year after the loan because we were counting on his
goalscoring,' said Diouf.
'Unfortunately, at the moment he isn't always starting and he is not happy
with the way things are going.
'Despite all that, he is not causing any problems and hasn't publicly
flaunted his desire to leave.
'But we can understand that if the situation continues, he could be led to
reconsider his options.
'We are on good relations based on loyalty and honesty. Therefore, if he
takes the decision that he must quit the club, I would be the first to be
informed and we would discuss it from there.'
Lens have been linked with a swoop for Cisse, who may want to move clubs to
gain first-team action with the European Championships coming up next summer.
Diouf revealed that OM would be active in the transfer market in January,
especially considering Niang and Modeste M'Bami should be leaving to take part
in the African Nations Cup at the start of 2008.
Meanwhile, coach Eric Gerets could be without centre-backs Gael Givet and
Julien Rodriguez for the remainder of the year.
Givet has been ruled out of action for three weeks with an ankle injury
sustained in the 4-0 defeat to Liverpool in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Rodriguez hurt his eye against the Reds but, unlike Givet, played on until the
final whistle.
He is set to miss this weekend's Ligue 1 game against Bordeaux and could be
touch-and-go for the clash with Le Mans on December 22.
Gerets admits he is still puzzled as to the reasons behind the poor
performance of his side against Liverpool.
'I am still feeling frustrated,' said the Belgian.
'It has rarely happened, in my time as a coach, that the feeling has stayed
so strongly in my head the following day after a match.
'I hope the game against Bordeaux will give us the chance to show people we
know how to play football.'
