Agent says on-loan Saviola leaving Sevilla

MADRID, May 30: Argentina striker Javier Saviola is not staying at Sevilla after the end of his one-year loan from Barcelona, his agent Alfredo Cabrera Brizuela said.

The UEFA Cup winners had an option to buy Saviola. He moved to Sevilla on loan last August and finished last season as the side's top scorer in the league with nine goals.

''Sevilla have said they will make us an offer before Friday but I have said Saviola will not stay at Sevilla, even though he was keen to do so,'' Cabrera Brizuela told sports daily Marca today.

''They had promised they would make a big effort to sign him, but they have now told me we would probably see the offer as being not good enough for the player.'' The agent also said the poor relationship between Saviola and coach Juande Ramos was behind the decision.

''Ramos has shown a lack of respect towards the player during the season and now they have decided to put the coach first.'' The 24-year-old international joined Barcelona from River Plate for 28 million dollars on a six year contract in 2001 but dropped down the pecking order under coach Frank Rijkaard.

REUTERS