Position: Forward Former Clubs: Sochaux, Rennes, Lens Birth Place: Dakar, Senegal Date of Birth: 15/01/1981 Transfer Fee: £10.5m
Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier pulled off a major coup just hours before the 2002 World Cup kicked off in the Far East by securing the services of charismatic Senegal striker El-Hadji Diouf.
The Lens striker celebrated his move to Anfield by tearing the French defence to shreads to in Senegal's historic 1-0 victory over, the then, World Champion bringing him to the attention of Europe's elite.
Houllier moved quickly to sign Diouf in late May after deciding not to keep French striker Nicolas Anelka at the club following a successful loan spell and being thwarted in his attempts to sign Auxerre's striking sensation Djibril Cisse.
Diouf, nicknamed the "Serial Killer" due to his deadliness in front of goal, was on the brink of a move to newly crowned Spanish champions Valencia but opted for a move to Merseyside after Houllier persuaded the bleached-blonde striker that Anfield was the place to be.
Senegal reached the quarter-finals of the 2002 World Cup, becoming only the second African team ever to do so, and Diouf was nominated for the 'Golden Ball' following a series of man of the match winning performances and despite not scoring a goal in the competition.
Earlier in the year, Diouf had guided Senegal to the final of the African Nations Cup but sadly scuffed a spot kick wide in the penalty shoot-out with Cameroon.
The Senegal fans were forgiving though as it was Diouf who almost single handily guided them to the World Cup with eight of their fourteen goals in qualifying, including two hat tricks.
Diouf spent spells at French clubs Sochaux - and a year later - Rennes, where he failed to settle and was involved in a series of high profile incidents.
The striker regularly frequented nightclubs and was involved in a late night, high speed car crash in which he was driving a team mates car while uninsured and was later fined by a local court.
Diouf was loaned out to Lens and agreed a permanent move months later after settling under the guidance of manager Joel Muller and his witch doctor!
Such was Diouf's change in fortunes, he was named African Footballer of the Year in 2001 - largely thanks to the part he played in getting Senegal to the World Cup - and again in 2002 following the tournament itself.
However, Diouf's Liverpool career has been highly disappointing.He scored only 6 times in his first season - 3 of those goals coming in the Worthington Cup.
Diouf was also involved in a controversial spitting incident in a UEFA Cup tie at Celtic Park which landed the Senegal marksman in hot water.
In 2003/04, Diouf became the first post war Liverpool Number 9 to not score a single goal in a season, making 33 appearances in the process.
He is currently on a season long loan at Bolton Wanderers.
