In July 2004, a largely unknown attacker by the name of Didier Drogba was signed by Jose Mourinho for £24 million from French side Marseille. Back then, no one anticipated that the Ivorian would become one of the best players ever to pull on a Blues jersey, let alone be the one to help them win their first ever Champions League in 2012 against Bayern Munich.
And now, nearly exactly 10 years to the day that he was first signed, Drogba has come back home after his contract with Turkish titans Galatasaray expired and has put pen to paper on a one-year-contract.
As per Chelsea's website, his former manager, Jose Mourinho was quick to express his joy at bringing his former employee back to London:
"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," the Portuguese tactician enthused.
Fan icon: Drogba was voted by Blues supporters as their best player of all time and is the club's fourth all-time top scorer
WELCOME HOME: The 36-year-old Ivorian star has now completed a move back to Stamford Bridge after a two-year hiatus
Earlier this week, the rumor mill in England and France went into overdrive with eager anticipation that the veteran attacker would soon be in a Blues kit again, and now, much to the joy of the team's supporters, that rumor has become a reality.
