NO RETURN

Didier Drogba and Chelsea are unlikely to be reunited in the January transfer window after FIFA decided to not permit the striker to move to the Premier league club once again before the transfer window opens. It is understood that the European champions were interested in the possibility of bringing Didier Drogba back to the club on a short-term deal in order to compensate for the lack of strikers at the club. Only Fernando Torres and Daniel Sturridge are the two fit strikers at the club, while it is heavily thought that Sturridge would be sold in the January transfer window.

Drogba has been one of the best players for Chelsea over the last eight seasons. He helped the club win the Champions League title with his last kick for the club. He has been extremely influential in helping the Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua recover from the resolution threatening form they suffered at the early part of the campaign. He has made 11 appearances for the Chinese club and has already scored eight goals this season. He has been linked with the likes of Juventus after the completion of the African cup of nations, but his first priority was thought to be Chelsea. However, his potential move to the former stamping ground has been prevented by FIFA.

“We can confirm that the player Didier Drogba submitted a request for authorisation to be registered outside an open registration period for a club on a loan basis. Fifa has informed him about the relevant regulations, that players may only be registered during one of the two annual registration periods fixed by the relevant association,” said a statement on the official website of FIFA. The player will now only trained with the Premier league outfit in the hope of maintaining his fitness ahead of the 2013 African cup of nations.