EL-HADJI Diouf’s Rovers career may not yet be over after his agent revealed that he expects the forward to return to Blackburn this summer.

Diouf is on loan at Rangers until the end of the season and his future remains shrouded in uncertainty, with Rovers boss Steve Kean hinting that he may be prepared to let him join the Scottish champions on a permanent basis.

But sources in Scotland believe that Rangers may struggle to meet Diouf's wage demands as things stand, although the situation could change if a potential takeover goes through at Ibrox.

Diouf is thought to be keen to join Rangers but his agent Willie McKay yesterday told the Lancashire Telegraph that the Senegal international’s Ewood exit is far from certain.

Asked if he expected Diouf to leave Rovers in the summer, McKay said: “No, I think he’ll be going back.”

Diouf was brought to Ewood Park by Sam Allardyce but was left disappointed when his former mentor at Bolton was sacked by Rovers’ new owners in December.

New boss Kean voiced concerns over the forward’s temperament after an incident against QPR in early January and opted to send Diouf on loan to Rangers on the last day of the transfer window.

Diouf, who has just over a year left on his Rovers deal, said at the time that he was keen to make his Rangers move permanent in the summer and is said to still be interested in a switch north of the border, having become popular among fans of the Ibrox club.

He also recently expressed an interest in returning to France, the country where he began his career, publicly stating an ambition to play for Paris Saint-Germain.

Kean insisted DIouf still had an Ewood future when the Rangers loan deal was agreed but has more recently indicated that he would wait to hear whether the SPL side wanted to take over the last year of his contract, saying that the former Liverpool player had fallen behind Junior Hoilett in the pecking order and could no longer be guaranteed a place.

As is common under such loan agreements, Rovers are likely to be currently subsidising a portion of Diouf’s wages at Rangers and the Scottish side are not thought to have the funds to take over his deal at the moment.

Rangers, who have struggled to compete with Europe’s top clubs in recent years, are expected to be forced to cut their playing budget in the summer although a potential takeover by businessman Craig Whyte could change the situation to some degree.

Developments are possible in terms of a takeover in the next few days, although it remains unclear whether it will go ahead.