Didier Drogba may hit road to the US after Chelsea’s title parade

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/may/25/didier-drogba-chelsea-mls-frank-lampard

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Didier Drogba hopes to find a club in Major League Soccer after celebrating his fourth Premier League title on board Chelsea’s victory parade on Monday.

The forward had captained the champions in their final-day victory over Sunderland having announced before kick-off that he would be leaving the club after 381 appearances and 164 goals over two periods and nine seasonsat Stamford Bridge. The 37-year-old says he wants to extend his career elsewhere and will now seek greater involvement at a new club, possibly in the United States, before exploring a future non-playing role at Chelsea. “I spoke with José Mourinho and the board and, all of us, we found an agreement,” said Drogba.

“Next year I want to have more minutes than I am having now. I just want to play, you know, and finish maybe on a high saying that ‘I gave everything and I can’t do that any more.’ This year I didn’t have that feeling. In fact, I felt I could still play and I still want to enjoy it before I stop. So for me to stay here and to finish with frustration, that would not have been possible. So we all agreed and understood what is good for all of us. “I played enough games to give a contribution to win the league, and that is the most important thing. I’m a bit frustrated because you want to play more, even play every game, but it is not possible. But, to be honest, when I see all the players we have in this squad I feel happy that I gave a good contribution. The team needs to be stronger next year to compete in the Champions League, and they are going to buy new players. We also have young players coming up, the likes of Dominic Solanke, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Nathan Ake, all these boys. They need to play. Not that I am not a competitor, but I think it’s time to give them a chance.”

Asked if he would consider following his former Chelsea team-mate, Frank Lampard, to move to a club in the United States, Drogba added: “Yes, of course, but I am going to take a few days, a few weeks, to think about what is good for me next. But all I want to do is play. Since I put it on social media [that he was to leave Chelsea] I have received some calls from other teams. Really unusual. But it was funny and interesting also because it really showed that, maybe, I can still bring something to a team.”

This will be Drogba’s second departure from Stamford Bridge having initially left for Shanghai Shenhua in 2012 in the immediate aftermath of his winning penalty in the shoot-out against Bayern Munich which saw Chelsea claim the European Cup. He spent time at Galatasaray after that spell in China before returning to London on a one-year deal last year. He has ruled out the possibility of turning out for a rival club in England.

“A few years ago, when I left before, I said I would never play for another English team,” he added. “No disrespect to them. There are some brilliant teams in the Premier League – but my love for this club, I can’t share it with another team. We are going to find a way for me to come back here one day, a role that is best for me at this club. We have time for that. But I am already an ambassador for the club: everywhere I go, whenever I go abroad, people mention Chelsea all the time. They recognise me as a Chelsea player.”

Drogba urged Chelsea to do all they can to retain Petr Cech but the goalkeeper is to tell them he would prefer to move this summer in a bid to secure regular first-team football. He has been reduced to Thibaut Courtois’ understudy, with his appearance against Sunderland his 493rd in all competitions over a glittering 11-year career at Stamford Bridge. He will speak again to the hierarchy, possibly on the tour of Thailand and Australia starting this week, and make clear his intentions but his preference is believed to be a move across the capital to Arsenal. However, Chelsea could yet invite offers from elsewhere – clubs across Europe are interested in the 33-year-old – if an acceptable bid is not received from the north London club.