Papiss Cisse Wants to Go to England

By Parvez Fatteh, Founder of http://sportingummah.com, sports@muslimobserver.com

Freiburg striker Papiss Cisse has declared his desire to play in the Premier League and believes he would be a “big success” in English football. The Senegalese soccer star has attracted firm interest from a number of clubs across Europe and has been strongly linked with Arsenal, Sunderland, Newcastle, Tottenham and Fulham.

Cisse, 26, has already scored eight times so far this season in the German Bundesliga off the back of 22 league goals last term – but he is eyeing a move to a bigger club as Freiburg battle to avoid relegation. “I want to test myself at a big club and I believe I would be a big success in England,” Cisse told Goal.com. “I watch the Premier League and I am pleased that people are talking about me in the same sentence as good clubs. My aim is to be the best I can be, we will see what happens but my club know my position.”

Cisse recently signed a new contract until 2014 on the understanding that he will be allowed to leave if Freiburg receive an attractive offer, most likely at the end of the season. The former Metz man has made it clear he is happy to stay at Freiburg until next summer and will not agitate for a move in the January transfer window.

“I respect the club and we have a good relationship, they gave me the opportunities,” Cisse added. “If I stay until the end of the season, I will do my best and remember how much they have supported me.”

As revealed by Goal.com in September, Sunderland has been leading the race to sign Cisse after making him its top target to replace Asamoah Gyan, who made a surprise loan move to UAE side Al-Ain until the end of the season and is not expected to return to the Stadium of Light.

The Black Cats’ manager, Steve Bruce, is desperate to strengthen his strikeforce in the New Year and will test Freiburg’s resolve to hold onto its star man.

One obstacle to a move to the Premier League in the January could be Cisse’s participation with Senegal in the Africa Cup of Nations, which will be co-hosted by Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

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