Former Premier League striker faces jail after ‘refusing to pay £670-a-month for child' amid family row

Ed Griffiths

By Ed Griffiths


Published: 06/11/2025

- 09:54

Updated: 06/11/2025

- 10:40

His ex-wife claims he now owes her around £14,000

A former Premier League striker faces jail time after "refusing to pay £670-a-month" for his child.

El Hadji Diouf, 44, was ordered to pay child support for his daughter Keyla, 17, as well as school fees and medical bills.


His ex-wife, Valerie Bishop, has accused the now-retired Liverpool and Blackburn forward of not paying her £14,000 in child maintenance despite having the means to do so.

The family row has been ongoing since the pair's divorce in 2023.

Bishop claims she has not received payment since March 2024 and now owes her around £14,000.

He failed to appear at a court hearing on Tuesday in Senegal’s capital, Dakar, according to the Sun.

Senegal’s law means that the two-time African Footballer of the Year could serve jail time under Article 351 of the West African country’s penal code if found guilty of refusal to pay maintenance.

Valerie’s lawyer, Mame Adama Gueye, said: "El Hadji Diouf is fully solvent.

El Hadji Diouf

El Hadji Diouf faces jail time after 'refusing to pay £670-a-month child'

|

GETTY

The lawyer added: "He has the means to pay, but refuses to do so. He leads a comfortable existence and divides his time between Dakar and Saly Portudal."

Diouf is due back in the high court in Dakar on December 5.

The Senegalese national was instrumental in his country's success at the 2002 World Cup, which included a famous 1–0 victory over reigning champions France.

He was named to the World Cup All-Star team and won African Footballer of the Year in 2021 and 2022.

El Hadji Diouf

Diouf made a video following a 3–1 win for Senegal against England in June this year

|

GETTY

The former Premier League star was charged with spitting on a Celtic fan during his time at Liverpool.

He scored just six goals in 80 games across three seasons for the Reds after signing for £10million from French club Lens after his World Cup success.

He left for Bolton in 2005 and went on to play for Sunderland, Blackburn, Rangers and Doncaster before ending his stint in Britain at Leeds.

His time at the club was surrounded by controversy, and since retiring, he has engaged in a back-and-forth with Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher.

El Hadji Diouf

He left for Bolton in 2005 and went on to play for Sunderland, Blackburn, Rangers and Doncaster before ending his stint in Britain at Leeds

|

GETTY

In 2015, Carragher was asked to name the worst footballer he had ever played alongside, replying: "The worst has to be El Hadji Diouf. Actually, I quite enjoyed playing against him as you could kick him then, can’t kick your own players."

After Carragher was embroiled in a row questioning the significance of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in a debate about the Ballon d'Or, Diouf posted a furious rant on social media.

Diouf later referred to the pundit as "CarraKetchup" and a "second-rate player" who was "regular on the bench" after the pundit was accused of disrespecting the Africa Cup of Nations, comments he later described as "clumsy" and apologised for.

In the latest of the longstanding row between the pair, Diouf made a video following a 3–1 win for Senegal against England in June, where he said: "This one is for Carragher!"

El Hadji Diouf

El Hadji Diouf has also traded words with former captain Steven Gerrard

|

GETTY

The Senegalese national has also traded words with former captain Steven Gerrard.

In his 2007 autobiography, Gerrard wrote: "Diouf was just interested in himself. His attitude was all wrong. I felt he wasn't really a***d about putting his body on the line to get Liverpool back at the top."

Diouf responded five years later, saying: "Gerrard was jealous of me back then as I had the world at my feet. There's no one more selfish… he doesn't care about anyone else.

"Gerrard would rather Liverpool lost and he scored. The old Liverpool guys can't stand him."