Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba is in the middle of a battle between two teams. In one corner, his beloved Chelsea wants him back to help their interim coach find his feet. On the other corner, his current employer wants to keep him around due to the wonderful form he showed last year. With Drogba having the final word about his future, here are the bullet points.
Newly appointed coach Guus Hiddink stated that Didier Drogba's figure should always be linked to Chelsea, given the relevance he acquired while playing for the Blues. His experience, professionalism and other skills should be available for Stamford Bridge's crew whenever they needed him, and some off-the-pitch work would certainly be of use during this complicated times.
“All the big clubs, and the smaller ones, have these specific guys, figures, who can go into whatever they like: coach, ambassador, manager, but they must be given the opportunity to do so. They give the Chelsea brand a big image, worldwide,” Hiddink stated in a press conference.
Drogba, flanked by Hiddink and Chelsea's owner Roman Abramovich, during The Blues' 3-1 win against Sunderland last Saturday.
As som sources indicated Drogba would return to the team as a player/coach, his current club took it to social media to reveal what was going on between the Ivory Coast striker and Chelsea, hinting their intention is to keep him around at least one more season.
We are currently in contact with Didier Drogba and Chelsea FC. We are doing everything we can to have him back with the Impact in 2016.#IMFC
— Impact de Montréal (@impactmontreal) December 23, 2015
We understand his attachment to his former club and his desire to help them. We are willing to accommodate him. #IMFC
— Impact de Montréal (@impactmontreal) December 23, 2015
But our objective is to have him back for another season, as agreed in his contract. This situation is out of our control. #IMFC
— Impact de Montréal (@impactmontreal) December 23, 2015
Drogba joined the Canadian team after the 2014-2015 season concluded. The 37-year old striker scored twelve goals in the same amount of games for the CONCACAF Champions League runners up, helping them to reach the playoffs for the second time in the franchise's history. With only one year left in his contract, the MLS club has stated it will be up to the striker to decided whether he lives up to his word or if he chooses to go back to England.
The Ivory Coast striker has been widely praised for his skills in the MLS, despite being deemed as "too old" to play in the league.
