Cisse was set on Marseille move

Djibril Cisse has revealed he always had his heart set on a switch to Marseille.

Marseille have "agreed in principle" a deal to sign Cisse from Liverpool despite a late move by West Ham

French international Cisse has rejected the overtures from West Ham and is expected to sign a four-year deal at Stade Velodrome.

Cisse, who spent last season on loan at Marseille, says there was never any doubt he would join the French giants and that he had made up his mind before the end of last season

"I am very happy, really delighted," Cisse told Marseille's official website.

"It has been a long time coming. We fought tooth and nail for this - and we have got what we wanted.

"I decided on Marseille even before the end of the championship. I had already made my decision.

"It went very well last season. Marseille is like my home. I am happy here."

Cisse was involved in the protracted talks between Marseille and Liverpool and he believes this approach helped him seal his move to the Provence outfit.

"I was really keen on being present at all the talks between the directors of Liverpool and Marseille," added Cisse.

"I wanted to show to the chiefs at Liverpool that this wasn't a joke, that it wasn't just talk, that my wish was to join OM [Marseille].

"I think that played a part in the final outcome."

Marseille president Pape Diouf was relieved to finally land Cisse on a permanent basis.

"Djibril will be a Marseille player," said Diouf.

"It was symbolic for us in our recruitment to keep Djibril in our ranks.

"It has not been without pain that we have reached this point, so we are very satisfied to bring an end to this affair.

"The negotiations have been long, sometimes hard and gruelling, but we have had to keep on going. And Liverpool have done the same."

Cisse will be joined at Marseille by former Liverpool team-mate Boudewijn Zenden after the French giants signed the Dutchman on a free transfer on Friday.

Zenden is excited at the challenge facing him at Marseille and he is confident they can challenge for honours.

"I am very ambitious. L'OM is a very great club," noted Zenden. "The officials, Djibril, all the staff around the club made a lot of efforts to convince me to sign.

"Now my dream is to win the Champions League with Marseille. But it will be very difficult."