The deal is done then....
Houllier's future has no bearing on Cisse May 20 2004
By Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo
THE deal to bring Djibril Cisse to Anfield is finally complete and the striker will join Liverpool regardless of Gerard Houllier's future.
There were fears a change in management could scupper long-standing plans to recruit the Auxerre centre-forward.
However, negotiations with Auxerre and the player have now successfully concluded.
No matter who's in charge, Cisse and his club have agreed the move for a fee in the region of £14m. He effectively becomes a Liverpool player after his final match for Auxerre this weekend.
The 22-year-old has been chased by Houllier for the last three years. His imminent arrival on Merseyside has been one of the worst kept secrets in football and it will be poignant if having finally secured his signature, Houllier's not around to reap the benefit.
Houllier being in charge was not a condition of Cisse's signing and with the deal already concluded, Liverpool do not anticipate possible changes in the management being an issue.
Other transfer business will be put on a temporary hold, however, until the managerial situation is resolved.
And the future of soon to be out of contract stars Didi Hamann, Stephane Henchoz and Vladimir Smicer, who all have just on year left on their current deals, will remain uncertain until the club has decided who's in charge next season.
The manager was back at Melwood this morning having insisted it's "business as usual" despite the growing speculation over his future.
No-one at Anfield is commenting on the claims Houllier is on the verge of losing his job and the silence has increased the media frenzy.
Houllier has been given no assurance he'll still be in charge when pre-season training begins as a review of his position continues.
A statement either confirming he'll either leave or continue as boss is expected within the next week.
It's unlikely the manager will leave before the weekend unless he decides the pressure has become intolerable. He's consistently said he won't walk away and his comments in the wake of reports of his imminent departure made it clear the decision will have to be taken by others.
"I'm carrying on my work as normal and have been holding meetings with staff preparing for next season," Houllier said. "I have been discussing contracts and other matters, as well as when the players will report back. So I'm carrying on my work as normal with the same dignity as normal."
Here's some info on our new centre forward starting off with his scoring record this season....
French League this season02-Aug-03 H Nice L 1-2 (0-1) J Jaures 90p
08-Aug-03 A Marseille L 0-1 (0-0)
16-Aug-03 H Strasbourg W 3-2 (2-1) K Akale 10; B Kalou 33; L Mathis 87
23-Aug-03 A Bordeaux L 0-2 (0-2)
30-Aug-03 H Rennes W 2-1 (1-0)
D Cisse 24; B Kalou 74
13-Sep-03 A Lyon D 1-1 (1-1)
D Cisse 29 20-Sep-03 H Bastia W 4-1 (3-1)
D Cisse 24, 61; Y Lachuer 35; P Mexes 45
27-Sep-03 A Paris St-Germain L 0-1 (0-1)
04-Oct-03 H Lille W 3-0 (2-0)
D Cisse 43, 45, 64 18-Oct-03 A Monaco D 1-1 (1-0) B Kalou 6
25-Oct-03 H Montpellier L 0-1 (0-1)
01-Nov-03 A Toulouse W 3-0 (2-0) Eduardo(og) 7; B Kalou 25; Y Lachuer 90
09-Nov-03 H Guingamp W 3-0 (2-0)
D Cisse 33, 84; T Tainio 40
22-Nov-03 A Metz W 2-0 (0-0) Y Lachuer 56;
D Cisse 90 30-Nov-03 A Sochaux L 2-3 (0-3)
D Cisse 70, 75 03-Dec-03 H Le Mans W 1-0 (1-0) Y Fischer(og) 18
06-Dec-03 A AC Ajaccio W 2-1 (1-0) P Mexes 16;
D Cisse 65 13-Dec-03 H Lens W 2-0 (1-0) B Kalou 17;
D Cisse 84 20-Dec-03 A Nantes L 0-1 (0-1)
10-Jan-04 H Marseille W 2-0 (2-0) T Tainio 5; B Kalou 17
17-Jan-04 A Strasbourg W 2-0 (1-0) O Kapo 19;
D Cisse 90 31-Jan-04 H Bordeaux W 5-0 (4-0)
D Cisse 8, 45p; K Akale 10, 59; T Tainio 28
07-Feb-04 A Rennes W 2-0 (1-0) P Mexes 16; B Kalou 54
15-Feb-04 H Lyon L 1-2 (0-1) J Boumsong 75
21-Feb-04 A Bastia D 0-0 (0-0)
29-Feb-04 H Paris St-Germain D 1-1 (1-0)
D Cisse 45 06-Mar-04 A Lille L 0-1 (0-0)
14-Mar-04 H Monaco D 0-0 (0-0)
20-Mar-04 A Montpellier L 0-1 (0-0)
28-Mar-04 H Toulouse W 3-2 (2-1) K Akale 16;
D Cisse 44, 6604-Apr-04 A Guingamp D 2-2 (0-1) F Sirieix 52; O Kapo 90 15,374
10-Apr-04 H Metz W 2-1 (0-0)
D Cisse 52; B Kalou 67
24-Apr-04 H Sochaux W 2-1 (0-0) B Kalou 49;
D Cisse 57 01-May-04 A Le Mans L 1-2 (0-2) D Cisse 47
08-May-04 H AC Ajaccio D 1-1 (1-0) B Kalou 2
11-May-04 A Lens W 3-1 Y Lachuer 22; L Mathis 74;
D Cisse 88 15-May-04 H Nantes W 2-0 (2-0)
D Cisse 2, 14 French Cup this season03-Jan-04 H Sochaux W 2-0 (0-0) O Kapo 60; T Tainio 77
24-Jan-04 H Montpellier W 2-0 (2-0) B Kalou 13;
D Cisse 22 10-Feb-04 A Brive L 0-1 (0-0)
UEFA Cup this seasonL1 24-Sep-03 H Neuchâtel Xamax W 1-0 (1-0) B Kalou 7
L2 15-Oct-03 A Neuchâtel Xamax W 1-0 (0-0) Y Lachuer 53
L1 06-Nov-03 A Utrecht D 0-0 (0-0)
L2 27-Nov-03 H Utrecht W 4-0 (2-0)
D Cisse 22, 48; O Kapo 30; B Kalou 58
L1 26-Feb-04 H Panathinaikos D 0-0 (0-0)
L2 03-Mar-04 A Panathinaikos W 1-0 (0-0) B Kalou 71
L1 11-Mar-04 H PSV Eindhoven D 1-1 (1-0) T Tainio 36
L2 25-Mar-04 A PSV Eindhoven L 0-3 (0-2)
all of his goals from this season can be downloaded/viewed on
http://www.aja.free.fr/2003-2004/videos_0304.htm- Born 08 December 1981 in France
- Twenty nine goals in all competitions so far this season (as of 16 May 2004)
- Last season Cisse scored 14 goals in 34 starts 2002/2003
- In the 2001/2002 season he fired 22 goals in 31 starts
- So far this season he has picked up 3 bookings; 2002/2003 season 4 yellows and 2001/2002 season 3 bookings in total
Roux: Cisse Liverpool boundFriday, 09 January 2004
Auxerre coach Guy Roux has admitted that star striker Djibril Cisse is set to join Liverpool next summer.
The French international was at Liverpool this week to look around the club's training ground and his move to Anfield has been football's worst kept secret.
Reds boss Gerard Houllier has made the jet-heeled hit-man his top target for some time and it seems almost certain he will play for Liverpool next season.
Roux denied the deal had been finalised, but admitted everything was in place to secure Cisse's arrival on Merseyside.
"His transfer has not been definitely settled. He is with us until June 30," Roux told France Football.
"He was at Liverpool at the start of the week, that is true. He went there to have medical examinations and visit the facilities. But contrary to what people said, he didn't go there during the winter break.
"Now we know the player wants to go there, he has negotiated and found an agreement with the club. Now, as the player has found what he wanted, we will negotiate with the English officials."
Roux was disappointed to see Cisse leave Auxerre, but believes he has made a good choice in joining Liverpool.
"I think he has made a very good choice. It is one of the best clubs he could have chosen.
"He will be a first team-member and that is the most important thing when you sign for a great club. Moreover, his game will perfectly fit with Owen's one.
"I even feel he will cause absolute carnage in the English defences."
Reports suggest that the deal will cost in the region of €20 million (£13.8 million) and Roux is satisfied with the price tag.
"It is only a bottom price! More seriously, it is already a beautiful sum, we have to be realistic," concluded Roux.
Wednesday, 07 January 2004
French star Djibril Cisse has reaffirmed his intention to join Liverpool after travelling to Merseyside.
Cisse was at Anfield and The Reds' training complex at Melwood on Sunday and Monday, to see what the club had to offer.
The Auxerre ace was not disappointed, claiming he was very happy with what he had seen.
"I have discovered Liverpool's facilities and that has confirmed my desire to join them," said Cisse. "It is of a very high level.
"I am impressed considering what I have seen until now, it is really another world and is the best for a player of my age.
"I will do my best to adapt and reach a new level.
"If I join them, I will try to give them back their trust, to succeed and achieve beautiful things.
"At first, I will have to make a name for myself. It will be very difficult to go and play at Liverpool and be a first team member."
Houllier: No Cisse deal - yet Monday, 05 January 2004
Gerard Houllier insists transfer target Djibril Cisse has not already signed a deal to join Liverpool from Auxerre at the end of the season.
Reports emanating from France suggested Cisse had put pen-to-paper on a five-year contract to link up with The Reds in a £14 million switch in the summer.
Cisse was also rumoured to have undergone a medical at Anfield en route to wrapping up his long-anticipated move to Merseyside.
But Reds chief Houllier refuted suggestions that a deal for the France international was already done and dusted.
Houllier admitted a transfer for the prolific striker is in the pipeline, with Cisse desperate to work with his compatriot at Anfield.
"It is not true he has signed a pre-contract with us and he has not had a medical either," said Houllier.
"He wants to join us but nothing has happened. That does not mean it will not be true in the future."
Cisse remains convinced he will be swapping Auxerre's colours for Liverpool's at the end of the campaign and backed up Houllier's comments that no paperwork has been signed.
"I want to move to Liverpool and I'm sure I'll play at Anfield next season," affirmed Cisse.
"But I haven't signed anything yet and it would be impossible for me to do so because I'm still under contract with Auxerre until 2005."
He'll also have the summer off...
Cisse ruled out of Euro 2004Friday, 30 January 2004
France striker Djibril Cisse will miss this summer's European Championships after Uefa upheld a five-match ban against the Auxerre ace.
Cisse was handed the ban for his behaviour in France's European Under-21 Championship defeat to Portugal in November.
The Liverpool target was dismissed by English referee Rob Styles for kicking out at Portuguese full back Mario Sergio just before half time and he made things worse by refusing to leave the field, protesting and insulting Styles.
Top Goalscorers - 03/04 as on 13 April 2004)
Goals Player
20 Djibril Cisse (Auxerre)
19 Didier Drogba (Marseille)
15 Pegguy Luyindula (Lyon)
15 Alexander Frei (Rennes)
15 Pierre-Alain Frau (Sochaux)
15 Pegguy Luyindula (Lyon)
15 Pierre-Alain Frau (Sochaux)
14 Pauleta (Paris SG)
13 Habib Bamogo (Montpellier)
12 Vladimir Mantchev (Lille)
12 Francileudo dos Santos Silva (Sochaux)
Think most will agree that he's an exciting prospect with an already proven scoring record (albeit in the French league). I'll try and update this as best I can in the future
