A report from Spain claimed that former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba was about to sign for Barcelona just days after sealing a lucrative move to China; however, local press reports in the city are claiming that the report is a load of rubbish.
Spanish TV station TV3 reported last night that Drogba was about to arrive in Spain today for contract talks with Barca but local newspapers El Mundo Deportivo and Sport claim the report is false and that the Catalan side have no plans to include the 34-year-old Ivory Coast international in their squad for the coming season.
The story was broken by journalist Quique Guasch on TV3’s ‘Efectivament’ programme. Guasch claims that Drogba and his representative Herminio Menendez will have talks tomorrow with representatives from Barcelona. He also claims that Drogba has an ‘escape clause’ in his contract with Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua which enables him to leave the club should Barcelona be interested in signing him. Drogba signed for the Chinese Super League side last week in a two-and-a-half year deal said to be worth £200,000 a week.
Mundo Deportivo claims that Barca turned down the opportunity to sign Drogba when he decided to leave Chelsea at the end of last season, principally because new coach Tito Vilanova does not intend to reinforce his front line this summer. Barca’s main priorities this close season lie in recruiting a centre-back.
