Cisse Agrees New Deal

Midfielder to remain with Derby until mid-January.

Kalifa Cisse has agreed a two-month contract with Derby County which will see him remain with the Rams until mid-January 2014.

The 29-year-old central midfielder agreed non-contract terms earlier this month and made his debut in the 3-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday ahead of the international break.

Off the back of his impressive display against the Owls and the hectic Christmas period fast approaching, Cisse will remain with the club at a key stage of the campaign.

First Team Coach Paul Simpson said: “Kalifa did well against Sheffield Wednesday and it’s pleasing that he will be sticking around for a bit longer.”

He added: “Hopefully he can carry on where he left off as well because he was certainly effective for us in the role he played on his debut.”

Cisse began his career as a trainee in France at Ligue 1 side Toulouse, before moving on to GD Estoril in Portugal in 2004.

It was there that he caught the attention of Portuguese Liga club Boavista, for whom he signed for a year later.

His impressive displays for Boavista led to a move to then Premier League side Reading, as he put pen-to-paper on a three-year deal in May 2007, for a fee of around £1 million.

Cisse made his Premier League debut for Reading against Chelsea in August 2007 and netted his first goal in England four months later, in the Royals’ enthralling 6-4 defeat to Tottenham.

In July 2010, he linked up with Steve Coppell for the second time in his career when he agreed terms on a two-year deal at Bristol City, for another substantial fee.

After 61 league appearances at two goals at Ashton Gate, Cissé signed with the New England Revolution of Major League Soccer in the United States ahead of the 2013 MLS season.

He made six league and two US Open Cup appearances for the Revolution, before leaving the MLS outfit by mutual consent in August, after expressing a desire to return to England.