Salomon Kalou has appealed to the Dutch immigration minister who is handling his case for Dutch citizenship, Rita Verdonk, to come to a swift decision, saying his soccer performance has been suffering during the months of uncertainty.

The 20-year-old Feyenoord striker, who is being targeted by both Arsenal and their North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, was born in the Ivory Coast, and whose brother Bonaventure is captain of the Ivory Coast, said in a letter, written in Dutch, published in De Telegraaf newspaper on Friday.

Kalou said that he regretted the legal battle he and Immigration minister Verdonk were now embroiled in after she blocked his application for citizenship, but he refuses to back down.

“Up to now I have declined to comment in the media, but after everything which has been written and said I felt I had to react myself,” wrote Kalou.

Arsene Wenger has been monitoring the progress of both Kalou and Liverpool target Dirk Kuijt, which was one of the reasons Tony Adams spent some time coaching in Rotterdam.

The pair have formed a formidable partnership at Feyenoord in recent seasons, and there is also considerable interest from Tottenham boss Martin Jol in Kalou.

Dutch coach Marco van Basten told a court hearing last November that Kalou would be guaranteed a place in his Holland World Cup squad if he was granted citizenship in time.

“Salomon has exceptional skills and qualities. If he is granted a Dutch passport, he will make a huge difference for our World Cup team,” Van Basten told the Dutch court hearing the case.

Kalou said he could live with dropping out of the squad on the grounds of his performance but it was harder to live with all the fuss in the courts, the media and parliament.

“My game has also suffered, something which makes me feel bad for my bosses at Feyenoord, the supporters and my team mates.”

Verdonk, who is known in the Netherlands for her tough stance on immigration and asylum seekers, has said she will make a final decision at the end of next week after a court ordered her to reconsider Kalou's fast-track bid.

Kalou, who has been playing for Feyenoord since 2003, has already had his application refused on two previous occasions. Immigration minister Rita Verdonk has argued that Kalou will leave Holland for a bigger club as soon as he is granted citizenship and therefore should not receive any special consideration.

She told parliament on Thursday, however, that Kalou did not fulfil the criteria for fast-track citizenship and would therefore have to retake a Dutch language and culture test in May, which he has already failed once.

She also said he had lived in the country for only three years, short of the five-year term normally required to qualify for a Dutch passport.

Kalou rejected several invitations to join the Ivory Coast national squad last year, even though his brother Bonaventure is captain of the team.

Ivory Coast have also qualified for the World Cup and, ironoically, will face the Netherlands in a Group C game in Stuttgart on June 16.

Kalou concluded his letter by saying “Dutch citizenship won't make me a better person or a better footballer and will not influence my sporting future in any way. I just wanted to become world champion with the Netherlands -- that was my main goal.”

A final decision on the matter is likely to be delivered at the end of the coming week.

Kalou is the brother of Ivory Coast captain Bonaventure, but has rejected overtures to play for the country of his birth.