Former Reds boss and Lyon manager Gerard Houllier has said he is still interested in signing injured France striker Djibril Cisse from his former club Liverpool.

Cisse was injured in France’s recent international friendly match against China, breaking his left leg, and will be out of action for several months in recovery.

Liverpool were hoping to secure a move for the striker this summer, with a move to either Lyon, or Marseille having been discussed, but after the injury Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez stated that now, with the injury, any summer move is now off.

He said in last Wednesday’s Liverpool Echo:"We were expecting to sell him to Marseille or Lyon and planned using the money for other players. We were talking to both clubs. Now we won't have this money. We won't expect him to play again until November or December."

But Houllier has now reiterated his desire to secure a move and it seems likely that Benitez will jump at the chance to sell.

Houllier originally signed Cisse from Auxerre for £14m in 2004 when he was still in charge at Anfield, but left the club before he saw his new-signing play.

"We await his return to fitness, which could be around Christmas," he told the Sunday Telegraph.

The Frenchman added: "He came to England at my invitation, although circumstances were to dictate that I left as he arrived.

"In fact I had been hoping to extend a belated welcome to him after the World Cup, for we at Lyon were the favourites, along with Marseille, to sign Cisse for the new season."

Cisse immediately underwent surgery after the injury, which was said to be very successful, and it is thought that he could be playing again by November.

25-year-old Cisse missed most of the 2004-05 season with a similar injury to his left leg sustained at Blackburn in October 2004.

But the player recovered and, prior to the injury, had earned himself a place in Raymond Domenech’s Les Bleus squad, becoming France’s top-scorer during qualification for the World Cup Finals.

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