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Former Chelsea Striker Didier Drogba Linked With Surprise Transfer

Former Chelsea Striker Didier Drogba Linked With Surprise Transfer

Drogba's next career move could be a rather strange one.

Josh Lawless

Josh Lawless

Didier Drogba has been without a club for quite some time now but there appears to be a bit of movement on the Ivorian's next destination.

Drogba parted company with MLS side Montreal Impact after the 2016 MLS season which ended in November and was linked with a couple of moves.

He was linked with a return to Marseille in Ligue One and fans made it clear that they did not want him to come back to the club.

Brazilian side Corinthians were after him and offered him a contract back in January and some of the terms were quite remarkable.

Goal Brazil revealed the lengths the six time Brazilian champions are going to bringing Drogba to the club after securing a document which showed an offer of $120,000-per-month, the rental of a house in a 'noble neighbourhood', six round trips from Europe to Brazil in executive class, a special bonus for becoming the league's top goalscorer AND an armoured SUV:

Drogba Contract
Drogba Contract

And while that offer was probably like nothing Drogba had ever received before, the move never materialised and he has remained a free agent for another two months.

There was talk of him returning to Chelsea as part of the coaching staff.

However, it now looks as though Drogba will continue playing and his next move will be again be in the United States, though not in the MLS.

Andy Geader from Twin Cities reports that the former Chelsea man is close to signing a contract with Phoenix Rising.


Image: PA

The Arizona-based club play in the United Soccer League, which is below the MLS in the football pyramid in the USA and Canada.

The team were known as Arizona United for a few years before rebranding as Phoenix Rising in November 2014 and recently unveiled a new stadium that is set to host it's first game on 25 March against Toronto FC's second team.

The signing of Drogba would undoubtedly be a massive coup as the 39-year old is a massive marketable attraction and would surely still have it in him to make a real impact in the lower echelons of football/soccer in the US.

Didier Drogba
Didier Drogba

Should he sign, Drogba would link up with former Chelsea teammate Shaun Wright-Phillips, whom he played with three years between 2005 and 2008.

Another ex Chelsea boy in Joe Cole, is also playing in the league with Eastern Conference side Tampa Bay Rowdies.

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