Chelsea have confirmed the decision to bring Didier Drogba back to the club on a one-year contract. The 36-year-old returns on a free transfer.
Drogba has been looking for a new club since leaving Galatasaray at the end of last season. French newspaper L’Equipe reported a week ago that Chelsea were planning for a shock move to bring back Drogba to Stamford Bridge. Jose Mourinho said yesterday that the club was interested in the Ivory Coast international. After confirming his return, Drogba said:
“It was an easy decision – I couldn’t turn down the opportunity to work with Jose again. Everyone knows the special relationship I have with this club and it has always felt like home to me.
“My desire to win is still the same and I look forward to the opportunity to help this team. I am excited for this next chapter of my career.”
Drogba is easily one of the best strikers to have represented Chelsea, while he remains the finest African striker to have played in the Premier League. Any striker will be daunted by his record of nine goals in cup finals. Mourinho termed him as the ‘one of the best strikers in Europe’. He said:
“He’s coming because he’s one of the best strikers in Europe. I know his personality very well and I know if he comes back he’s not protected by history or what he’s done for this club previously. He is coming with the mentality to make more history.”
Drogba, however, is expected to be a squad player rather than a first-team regular this time around. The likes of Diego Costa and Fernando Torres will be ahead of him in the pecking order. The presence of Drogba, though, provides a wealth of options if Chelsea are chasing the game in the final 15 minutes.
It will be interesting to see if Drogba’s return means an exit for Torres. The Spaniard has been linked with Atletico Madrid and Monaco in the last few weeks.
super drogba is back, chelsea team will play without forgiveness.