KHALILOU Fadiga became the latest player to underline Sam Allardyce's value to Wanderers when he confirmed he had rejected a host of other offers to join the Reebok revolution.

The Senegal World Cup star became one of the hottest properties on the market after negotiating his release from Inter Milan after being wooed by a variety of clubs but had only one destination in mind after meeting Allardyce.

"I had a few offers but I spoke with Sam and no-one came across as well as he did," he said. "When you go for a job, the people have to show they want you and Sam did that."

Fadiga is the latest in a long line of world class players Allardyce has brought to the Reebok in the five head-spinning years since his appointment in October 1999.

When he celebrates his fifth anniversary and 50th birthday on Tuesday, he will have the satisfaction of knowing that among the 226 transfer transactions -- incoming and outgoing -- he has conducted as Wanderers boss, he has improved the quality of his squad, year-on-year, to the point where he now boasts the likes of Jay Jay Okocha, Ivan Campo, Gary Speed, Bruno N'Gotty and the legendary Fernando Hierro in his Premiership ranks.

Fadiga, meanwhile, admits he has adopted a selfish streak in his determination to make up for lost time following the heart scare that wrecked his dream move to Inter and cost him a year of his career. The man whose agent, Charles Collymore, says is aiming to be "as big a player here as Jay Jay Okocha" shook his head at the suggestion that his arrival might help his fellow countryman, El-Hadji Diouf, get his career back on track after a difficult time at Liverpool.

"I'm not here to help anyone, I am here to help myself," he said as he was called into the Wanderers' squad for the first time for this afternoon's Reebok clash with Crystal Palace.

"A year ago when I was in the hospital, no-one was coming to me saying 'Okay, we've won, here's £25,000!'

"He (Diouf) is old enough to know what he has to do. He played at Liverpool and everybody knows he is a good player. He doesn't need me to help him."