Sunderland defender Papy Djilobodji is delighted to have been backed by former Black Cats forward and fellow Senegalese El Hadji Diouf to shine at the Stadium of Light. 

Djilobodji was snapped up by Sunderland in the summer transfer window from Chelsea, arriving to bolster the club's defensive options.




He was signed by Chelsea last summer, but given just 59 seconds of first team football before being loaned to Bundesliga outfit Werder Bremen and then sold to Sunderland.

Diouf, who played for Sunderland between 2008 and the start of 2009, and expects Djilobodji to do well at his former club, tipping him to be the surprise of the season.
 


And the defender is delighted with the compliment, but feels he now has to prove his countryman right on the pitch.

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"He is a player that inspires me, that I know", Djilobodji told So Foot.

"So it's very pleasing.

"Now I have to earn it [the compliment] and work hard and play as well as possible, and do what I can do on the pitch."

Diouf won 69 caps for Senegal at international level between 2000 and 2009, while Djilobodji has so far earned 12 caps for the African country.

The 27-year-old centre-back featured in Sunderland's 1-0 defeat away against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.