El-Hadji Diouf has been warned he will not be leaving Bolton on the cheap.

The controversial Senegal striker, 27, recently declared he will quit the Trotters in the summer regardless of whether they stave off relegation from the Barclays Premier League. At least he can depart with his head held high after inspiring a 2-0 win over Sunderland, which has all but guaranteed the club's top-flight status.

Diouf - believed to be a target for Manchester City - said: "I'm definitely leaving. I love Bolton but I'm ready for a new challenge."

Diouf's problem is that he has still has one year remaining on his contract. Manager Gary Megson said: "Myself and everybody else don't want Dioufy to go anywhere and that's still the case.

"If Dioufy does go, it will take a large fee and it will have to be a big club that takes him because of the amount of money that we pay a talented lad like El-Hadji.

"He's done okay since I've been manager but I don't want him to go anywhere and if he does then it will only be in the best interest of this football club. Nobody will able to nick him."