Juventus woo Chelsea star Drogba

Juventus are trying to lure Chelsea striker Didier Drogba after failing in their bid to land Arsenal's Robin van Persie.

Drogba has been offered a two-year £80,000-a-week deal by the Italian champions, according to The Sun.
 
With Van Persie having snubbed interest from Juve, Drogba has emerged as a top candidate.

Nicolas Anelka’s Shanghai Shenhua are favourites to land the Chelsea striker, 34, who is a free agent next month.
 
The Serie A champs Juve cannot match Shanghai’s £10 million-a-year wages but can tempt him with top-flight football - and a £10m signing bonus, the report added.

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Drogba says leaving Chelsea

vory Coast striker Didier Drogba is leaving Chelsea after playing a leading role in their Champions League triumph, according to a report to be published in French magazine France Football on Tuesday.

Drogba, who scored the winning penalty in the shootout against Bayern Munich on Saturday after cancelling out Thomas Mueller's opener, has reportedly told his team mates "we will not be together next season."

"I am getting ready for a great leap into the unknown," he added without hinting at a possible destination.

Drogba, 34, joined Chelsea from Olympique Marseille in 2004 and has won three Premier League titles with the London club as well as four FA Cups.

Drogba, 34, joined Chelsea from Olympique Marseille in 2004 and scored 157 goals in 341 appearances for the club.

"I wanted to put an end to all the speculation and confirm that I am leaving Chelsea," Drogba said on the club website (www.chelseafc.com).

"It has been a very difficult decision for me to make and I am very proud of what we have achieved but the time is right for a new challenge for me."

Drogba enjoyed a glittering eight years in the Premier League in which he won three league titles, four FA Cups and two League Cups.

He capped his trophy-laden career at the West London club by starring in their Champions League final victory over Bayern Munich on Saturday, when he scored a late equaliser before netting the decisive penalty in the shootout.

"Didier is undoubtedly a Chelsea legend and will always be part of the Chelsea family," Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay said.

"He is certainly leaving on a high after Saturday night but he feels the time is right for a new challenge.

"We have known for some time that this outcome was likely but Didier and the club only made a final decision on that in the last couple of days, because for obvious reasons neither Didier nor the club wanted to distract focus away from the Champions League Final.

"The talks were amicable all the way through and we wish him all the best for the future. He is welcome back to Stamford Bridge at any time - either as a player or as a guest of ours."

Drogba has been linked with a move to Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua where he would join up with former Chelsea team mate Nicolas Anelka who left Stamford Bridge in January.

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