Saviola savours fresh start at Sevilla

MADRID, May 9 (Reuters) It seems to be rather premature to be relaunching a career at the age of 24 and yet that is precisely what Javier Saviola has done at Sevilla this season.

After two years of uncertainty the Argentine striker looks to have found a home from home at Sevilla and has made it clear he wants to remain at the Andalucian club after his loan spell from Barcelona concludes at the end of the season.

He has scored eight goals in the club's run to the UEFA Cup final and although injuries have affected his impact in the league, he has done more than enough to convince Sevilla's fans that he should stay.

''I want to stay at Sevilla because they have shown confidence in me and the club is growing all the time,'' Saviola said in a recent interview with Don Balon magazine.

Touted as one of the most exciting prospects in football, the slightly built striker appeared to have the world at his feet when he joined Barcelona as a 19-year-old for 28 million dollars from River Plate in 2001.

Nicknamed ''el conejo'' (the rabbit) by River team mate German Burgos because of his protruding teeth, Saviola had chalked up 37 league goals in the previous two seasons with the Buenos Aires club and had starred for Argentina in their victorious World Youth Cup campaign.

HUGE EXPECTATION The expectation was huge when he signed for Barcelona, but unfortunately his arrival coincided with a downturn in the club's fortunes.

Despite Barca's difficulties, the death of his father and the inevitable problems in adapting to European football he still managed to score a creditable 44 league goals in three seasons.

But he dropped down the pecking order in 2004 when Cameroon international Samuel Eto'o and the experienced Swedish striker Henrik Larsson joined and was loaned out to AS Monaco.

He had a good campaign with the Ligue 1 side last season, but as fate would have it his absence from Barcelona coincided with the team's revival and he missed out on their championship-winning campaign.

With the emergence of Argentine teenage prodigy Lionel Messi from the youth ranks, Barca boss Frank Rijkaard made it clear that Saviola was surplus to requirements when he returned last June.

''I left Barcelona with a clear conscience,'' says Saviola. ''I did all I could when I was there and achieved a lot. That's why I have stayed calm about it, because I did a good job.'' The striker wanted to join Espanyol so that he could remain in Barcelona, but the club refused to countenance a move to their city rivals.

Inadvertently it was Barca's arch enemies Real Madrid who helped break the deadlock by buying Sevilla's leading striker Julio Baptista.

With a gaping hole in their attack and a pocket full of money from the sale, the Andalucians could afford Saviola's wages and take him on loan.

The move has paid dividends for the striker. He has rebuilt his reputation as a speedy, alert, opportunist striker and is now almost certain to be included in Jose Pekerman's squad for the World Cup.

''I'm convinced the best of Saviola is yet to come,'' he says.

''I'm still young and I know that I've got a lot to offer.'' REUTERS AY ND1032