ABSENT star El-Hadji Diouf looks set to face disciplinary measures when he return to training with Blackburn Rovers.
Confusion still surrounds Diouf’s whereabouts, with the 30-year-old yet to report back for pre-season amid an uncertain future at Rovers, and the Senegal international looks likely to face a club fine when he finally returns to the fold.
Sources close to Diouf have suggested that Rovers gave the player permission to return to training late in order to fulfil charity commitments, but club insiders are said to be puzzled by his absence.
Diouf spent the second half of last season on loan at Rangers and has been told by Rovers boss Steve Kean that he is likely to be down the club’s pecking order this season.
El-Hadji Diouf
This follows on from yesterdays news :
CONFUSION surrounds El-Hadji Diouf’s absence at Blackburn Rovers’ pre-season training with the player yet to report back this summer.
People close to Diouf have said the club gave him permission to come back late to fulfill charity commitments but some Rovers sources were yesterday understood to be baffled by his whereabouts.
The 30-year-old was not present on the club’s pre-season training camp in Austria last week and has yet to make an appearance with the full squad who were back at Brockhall from Monday Diouf’s agent declined to comment, while Rovers were unavailable for comment when approached by the Lancashire Telegraph last night.
Diouf’s Rovers future has been shrouded in uncertainty ever since he was shipped out on loan to Rangers last January, where he went on to help them lift the Scottish Premier League title.
The controversial midfielder has been critical of Rovers’ sacking of boss Sam Allardyce and stated his desire to remain at Ibrox at the end of last season.
A lack of suitable suitors means Diouf currently remains a Rovers player and his representatives told the Telegraph just last month that he was ready to sit his remaining year on his contract out at Ewood Park.
Diouf missed yesterday’s behind closed doors friendly against Oldham, the club’s pre-season opener.
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Blackburn boss Steve Kean has confirmed he expects El-Hadji Diouf to leave the club this summer.
The Senegal forward failed to report for pre-season training and earned a fine of two weeks’ wages last week, and it now appears he has played his last game for Blackburn.
‘I think it’s probably the time for El-Hadji,’ Kean said. ‘But it will depend on who is interested. It depends on what happens with the offers that come in.’
Kean insisted there remain a number of clubs with interest in the former Liverpool man, who has been left out of the pre-season trip to Hong Kong.
Meanwhile, Kean said he was hopeful a new deal will be agreed with striker Benjani, who had been unhappy with an initial offer from the club.
‘It was a bit of a breakdown in communications,’ Kean added on Sky Sports News. ‘But I’ve spoken to him now and hopefully we’ll have a new offer we can go forward with.’