Marseille find Chelsea's multi-million offer too good to refuse for Drogba
July 12, 2004
MARSEILLE, France (AFP) - Ivory Coast international striker Didier Drogba is set to sign for Premiership bigspenders Chelsea for between 35million and 40million euros (50million US dollars, 26.7million pounds) from UEFA Cup finalists Marseille according to a source from the selling club on Monday.
The 28-year-old is contracted to the French outfit till 2008 but his 19 goals last season and several stunning performances in the UEFA Cup made him a particular favourite of new Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho and money was no object for the English side's owner Roman Abramovich.
Marseille's president Christophe Bouchet has tried to lessen the impact of his departure by delaying it till the transfer window in January and to counterbalance his loss by holding talks with Cameroon's 2003 African player of the year Samuel Eto'o last week over moving from Spanish side Real Mallorca.
The transfer represents quite a profit for Marseille as they signed Drogba - who was beaten by Eto'o to the African Player of the Year honours - from Guingamp for six million euros only last summer.
Marseille general manager Pape Diouf told the magazine 'But' two weeks ago that money accrued from the sale of Drogba to Chelsea would allow the club to buy three players of international stature.
Drogba would be the second striker that Chelsea had bought within hours after Serbian international Mateja Kezman signed from PSV Eindhoven on Monday for an undisclosed fee.
They join Dutch international winger Arjen Robben and Czech international goalkeeper Petr Cech as well as Portuguese fullback Paulo Ferreira in being the new faces in Chelsea's second bid under Abramovich to win the Premiership having finished runners-up last season when they were coached by Claudio Ranieri.
Robben and Cech had been signed under Ranieri's watch while Ferreira was Mourinho's first purchase as the coach persuaded Abramovich to part with 13.29 million pounds for the 25-year-old, who was an integral part of the Champions League winning FC Porto side under Mourinho last season.
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Chelsea has got so much money it's sick!! They're spending that much on a player who's had a good season in Ligue 1 and the UEFA Cup. I like Drogba, but that's just ridiculous. From now on, clubs will look to Chelsea and see what they might offer before agreeing fees with other buyers.
I guess Crespo must be heading to Milan now that they've got Kezman, Drogba, and Gudjohnsen who just renewed his contract.
It'd be great if we can somehow snatch Crespo on that loan deal.
July 12, 2004
MARSEILLE, France (AFP) - Ivory Coast international striker Didier Drogba is set to sign for Premiership bigspenders Chelsea for between 35million and 40million euros (50million US dollars, 26.7million pounds) from UEFA Cup finalists Marseille according to a source from the selling club on Monday.
The 28-year-old is contracted to the French outfit till 2008 but his 19 goals last season and several stunning performances in the UEFA Cup made him a particular favourite of new Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho and money was no object for the English side's owner Roman Abramovich.
Marseille's president Christophe Bouchet has tried to lessen the impact of his departure by delaying it till the transfer window in January and to counterbalance his loss by holding talks with Cameroon's 2003 African player of the year Samuel Eto'o last week over moving from Spanish side Real Mallorca.
The transfer represents quite a profit for Marseille as they signed Drogba - who was beaten by Eto'o to the African Player of the Year honours - from Guingamp for six million euros only last summer.
Marseille general manager Pape Diouf told the magazine 'But' two weeks ago that money accrued from the sale of Drogba to Chelsea would allow the club to buy three players of international stature.
Drogba would be the second striker that Chelsea had bought within hours after Serbian international Mateja Kezman signed from PSV Eindhoven on Monday for an undisclosed fee.
They join Dutch international winger Arjen Robben and Czech international goalkeeper Petr Cech as well as Portuguese fullback Paulo Ferreira in being the new faces in Chelsea's second bid under Abramovich to win the Premiership having finished runners-up last season when they were coached by Claudio Ranieri.
Robben and Cech had been signed under Ranieri's watch while Ferreira was Mourinho's first purchase as the coach persuaded Abramovich to part with 13.29 million pounds for the 25-year-old, who was an integral part of the Champions League winning FC Porto side under Mourinho last season.
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Chelsea has got so much money it's sick!! They're spending that much on a player who's had a good season in Ligue 1 and the UEFA Cup. I like Drogba, but that's just ridiculous. From now on, clubs will look to Chelsea and see what they might offer before agreeing fees with other buyers.
I guess Crespo must be heading to Milan now that they've got Kezman, Drogba, and Gudjohnsen who just renewed his contract.
It'd be great if we can somehow snatch Crespo on that loan deal.
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