Former Liverpool striker Diouf ready to become Senegal president

[PHOTO: COURTESY]

Retired football bad boy El Hadji Diouf is turning his hand to politics... and could run for the Senegal presidency.

Once described as a "sewer rat" by Cardiff boss Neil Warnock, the former striker played in England for the likes of Liverpool, Sunderland, Blackburn, Bolton and Leeds.

He hung up his boots in 2015, but after a couple of years out of the game Diouf is ready for his next career move.

Perhaps inspired by George Weah, who became the 25th President of Liberia last month, the 37-year-old has set out plans to become a politician.

Diouf claims it's because he wants to be a "soldier of the youngsters".

"I am looking after myself and my family. For many years I used to think about football but I have a new career and it is a political career.

"I have taken the decision to do politics because I have people waiting for me to change things in my country and I'm ready to do that because I want to be the soldier of the youngsters," he said.

"My future is defined. In the next two years I'll be joining politics, because I know from that point I can change a lot in football.

"I have a lot of passion for politics, and I have people in Senegal who are mentoring me.

"That is the future for me, because a lot of Senegalese people are able to listen to me."