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L'OM look to keep Cisse

Image: Cisse: Set to stay at l'OM

Marseille say no decision has been made to sell Djibril Cisse to a Premier League club.

Striker won't be sold to fund bid for Kone

Marseille chairman Pape Diouf says no decision has been made to sell Djibril Cisse to a Premier League club. Former Liverpool striker Cisse has been linked with a return to England, just 12 months after joining Marseille on a permanent basis. Bolton Wanderers had been tipped to make an offer, while reports have claimed l'OM will sell Cisse to finance a move for Nice forward Bakary Kone. However, Diouf admits it would be difficult to replace a player of Cisse's calibre and is not currently planning to offload the 26-year-old.

Difficult moments

"First of all I must stress that at Marseille the players are not the ones who decide if they leave or not," Diouf told L'Equipe. "We have to look at Djibril's situation on its own. He experienced difficult moments last year that led him to think about returning to England. "At this moment, no decision has been taken. Two conditions would be needed to allow him to leave - if an offer that reaches our demands was made and if we can find a replacement. "Djibril is worth 37 goals in a season-and-a-half and it is not easy to find players like that. For sure we'd rather keep a player like him." When asked if Cisse would make way for Kone, Diouf replied: "Absolutely not. Those two options are very different. "Saying Bakari will be Djibril's successor is not correct. Nothing can prevent us from thinking that a partnership between both could be an option."

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