El Hadji Diouf leaves Blackburn Rovers

El Hadji Diouf (pictured), has left Blackburn Rovers by mutual consent, the Premier League club said on Thursday.

Diouf has been involved in several on and off the field disputes during his career and in July was suspended for five years from all soccer-related activity in his home country Senegal, after saying “the whole system of African soccer is corrupt”.

He started his career in France with Sochaux, Stade Rennes and Racing Lens before he was signed by then Liverpool manager Gérard Houllier ahead of the 2002 World Cup finals. Following a disappointing spell at Anfield Diouf joined Bolton Wanderers on loan before securing a contract at the Reebok Stadium.

Manager, Steve Kean had already said before the end of the transfer window on Wednesday that Diouf was not in his first-team plans while the Senegalese had made clear he wanted to leave Blackburn.