Megson wants big money for Diouf
El-Hadji Diouf inspired Bolton to a 2-0 win over Sunderland worth around £50million and was then warned he will not be leaving the club on the cheap.
The controversial Senegal striker, 27, recently declared he will quit the Trotters in the summer regardless of whether they stave off relegation from the Barclays Premier League.
Manager Gary Megson said: "Myself and everybody else don't want Dioufy to go anywhere and that's still the case. If Dioufy does go, it will take a large fee and it will have to be a big club that takes him because of the amount of money that we pay a talented lad like El-Hadji."
Megson is now waiting to hear from clubs interested in signing Diouf, who has courted controversy ever since being brought to England by then-Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier in 2002.
"He's a great lad and I've got all the time in the world for him - I really get on well with him," insisted Megson.
"He's got his faults but we'll wait and see what happens because nobody as yet has picked the phone up and said, 'we'll do this with Dioufy'.
"He's done okay since I've been manager but I don't want him to go anywhere and if he does then it will only be in the best interest of this football club. Nobody will able to nick him."
But Diouf - believed to be a target for Manchester City - is determined to leave despite having a year left on his contract and reiterated that saying: "I'm definitely leaving. I love Bolton but I'm ready for a new challenge."
