The Ivory Coast forward Didier Drogba has disclosed that he planned to remain a member of the Chelsea “family” beyond the end of the current English season
.Drogba announced this on Sunday while receiving the 2015 Football Writers’ Association Tribute Award at a dinner at London’s Savoy Hotel.
The ex-African footballer award winner returned to Stamford Bridge in pre-season, following spells in China and Turkey with Shanghai and Galatasaray respectively, but there has been no word yet from Chelsea chiefs as to what will happen to the forward when his current contract with the west London club expires.
But the 36-year-old made it clear Sunday he wanted to stay at Chelsea, even if he was no longer involved in a playing capacity beyond the end of the current campaign.
“When you have achieved so much and won so many trophies like we have done in the past 10 years, that creates something special,” said Drogba, who was powerless to prevent Chelsea losing 4-2 at home to third-tier Bradford City on Saturday in one of the greatest FA Cup upsets of them all.
“I hope, and the club makes me believe, I am part of this big family, so we are going to find the best thing for both of us to promote the club in the best way.”
Drogba added: “When I left this club (the first time), I was saying that I had done everything I wanted to do, but I think now that I did not do everything, I think there is more to do.
“I love this club and would love to be part of this club for the future, with the new players.”
On Bradford defeat, Drogba had this to say, “Everybody was disappointed and of course we are not proud of what happened (against Bradford), but the good thing is in two days we have another game, so we have to focus on this game and try to play better than we did at the weekend,” said Drogba.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, in his first spell with the Blues, brought Drogba to the club from Marseille in a £24 million ($40.7 million, 30.3 million euros) transfer in 2004.
Drogba went on to score 157 goals for Chelsea over an eight-year period and left the club in 2012 shortly after scoring the winning penalty against Bayern Munich in the Champions League final.
