Bremen, Germany - Werder Bremen will make no decision on retaining striker Claudio Pizarro until it knows the outcome of an investigation into alleged tax evasion and money laundering involving the player's adviser.

Klaus Allofs, the club's sports director, was quoted by Tuesday's local Kreiszeitung Syke newspaper as saying it would await the results of the investigation being conducted by authorities in Peru.

Peruvian striker Pizarro is on loan from Chelsea, but Werder would like to make the signing a permanent one. Pizarro, 30, has scored 19 goals in all competitions this season.

"From a sporting and personal point of view we would like keep Claudio but we have to await the outcome of the investigation in Peru because we cannot put ourselves outside the law," Allofs said.

The investigation is focusing on Pizarro's business partner, the player agent Carlos Delgado. Pizarro has himself denied acting as a player's agent or being involved in Delgado's agency.

As a result of the investigations, Werder chairman of the board Juergen L. Born has temporarily stepped down from all offices at the club.

According to German media reports, Born has been accused of receiving money from the 2001 transfer of Peruvian striker Roberto Silva from Sporting Cristal Lima for 1.35 million dollars.

Born has denied receiving any payments but said he was forgoing his duties "until the final clarification of the matter." (dpa)