Didier Drogba has scoffed at the rumours that are linking him with a summer move to Barcelona and he could still stay at Stamford Bridge beyond this season.
The Ivorian’s contract expires this summer and he is free to speak to any club that he wants but he insists that he’s concentrating on what’s important, the Champions League final, and talks about his future can wait.
Chelsea have admitted that they’re uncertain if Drogba will be at the club next summer but it’s expected that they will talk to him after tonight’s game.
Ron Gourlay, the Chelsea chief executive, certainly hasn’t given up hope on Drogba staying at the club:
Drogba on the rumours linking him with a move to Barcelona:
“There are a lot of rumours about me being offered to Barcelona. It’s not true. It’s not true.”
Gourlay on Drogba’s future and the Champions League final:
“We’ll sit down with him and we’re going to talk.
“No matter what happens, everybody’s talking a lot about ‘last game’.
“I’m just happy because we’re again in the Champions League final.
“Nobody expected us to be there at the beginning of the season but I think we did everything to reach the finals.”
If tonight’s game is Drogba’s last in Chelsea blue then I hope he can go out with a bang and put right the wrongs of Moscow when he received a red card and wasn’t available to take a penalty in the shoot-out against Manchester United.
There’s a lot of debate surrounding the man over whether or not we should keep him at the club and, to me, it seems as if it’s a case of the heart says ‘yes’ and the head says ‘perhaps it’s best if he were to move on’.
The 34-year-old has had a fantastic career, with his time at Chelsea making up the bulk of it and he’ll always be remembered for his goals and the silverware he has won. And he’s still a handful, which is why many argue that we should keep him as it’s not just about the emotional attachment to the player.
However, even though he’s the man for the big occasion he has not performed well in the Premier League over much of the past two seasons and paying out lucrative wages to a man that saves his best for the big time wouldn’t make economic sense. There’s also his age to consider and perhaps it’s time for someone younger to be given the chance to take his place.
He’s been a great player for Chelsea and that won’t change but if he’s to stay then it shouldn’t be any more than a year that is offered and as it seems as though he can no longer pay week-in, week-out with the same sort of intensity then it should probably be on a reduced wage too.
But the talk of his future can wait for now. Hoping to see one of his big performances tonight.
