BOLTON CHASE CISSE

Liverpool's hopes of securing a transfer fee for Djibril Cisse received a boost after the player’s agent confirmed Bolton Wanderers have entered the race to sign the striker.

Cisse – a £14million capture from Auxerre in 2004 – is still eager to make his loan move at Marseilles permanent, with the French side having secured Champions League football for next term. However, the flamboyant forward’s chances of extending his stay at the club he supported as a boy looked to have diminished with the Ligue One outfit’s reluctance to meet the pre-arranged £8m asking price.

Liverpool have told Marseilles, who received £17.5m from Bayern Munich for winger Franck Ribery, they will only accept a permanent deal for Cisse, and will not countenance a further loan. With the two clubs unable to reach an agreement, it has opened the door for Bolton manager Sammy Lee to pounce.

“It is true that there has been some contact with Bolton. I have met up with Sammy Lee on one occasion. He impressed me, not just as a coach, but as a person. He is a fantastic man. We are meeting Liverpool next week to find out what they want to do,” said Cisse’s representative Ranko Stojic. Bolton are also believed to favour an arrangement similar to the one which took El Hadji Diouf to the Reebok, but Benitez will now be hopeful that Bolton’s interest will force the French club’s hand, as he looks to bolster his summer war chest.

Marseilles remain confident of negotiating a reduced fee for the France international over the course of next week. “About Djibril Cisse, the negotiations should be finished early next week. We would prefer a loan but Liverpool want a definitive transfer. We are in talks about a transfer fee inferior to £8m. I have a lot of hope,” said their club president Pape Diouf.