http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/16628786.stm

Chinese Super League side Shanghai Shenhua have claimed they are in talks to sign Chelsea striker Didier Drogba.

The 33-year-old rejected a one-year contract extension at Chelsea and has been linked with a move to China.

"Everything is going well so far, though there have been a few obstacles," said Shenhua board member Zhou Jun.

Last month, striker Nicolas Anelka quit Stamford Bridge for Shenhua when he signed for a two-year deal.

It's like flirting with a girl. Perhaps she will resist you at first, but if you continue to ask her out, it always ends well. Never give up

Shenhua spokesman Zhu Jun about the pursuit of Drogba

Rival Chinese club Dalian Aerbin were reported to have offered the Ivory Coast international wages of £200,000 a week but Shenhua have now joined the chase.

"It's like flirting with a girl," said Shenhua spokesman Zhu Jun about the pursuit of Drogba on the Chinese equivalent of Twitter. "Perhaps she will resist you at first, but if you continue to ask her out, it always ends well. Never give up."

Zhu also told the Shanghai Daily: "It's like making a blockbuster film.

"When superstars like Jackie Chan, Jet Li and Zhou Xun have confirmed their participation, other actors and actress will be confident of the movie."

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas had been hopeful that Drogba, who is with Ivory Coast at the Africa Cup of Nations and is free to open negotiations with rival clubs about a move at the end of the season, would see out his contract.

Drogba has been at Chelsea since the summer of 2004 after being signed by former manager Jose Mourinho in a £24m deal from Marseille.

However, following the signing of Spaniard Fernando Torres in January, he has found it difficult to secure a regular spot as Villas-Boas has rotated his four strikers

.

Shanghai Shenhua finished 11th out of 16 teams in the Chinese league last season.

They are determined to win the league and have already signed Brazilian forwards Cleo and Muriqui as well as former Fulham and Monaco boss Jean Tigana as their head coach.

I dont like the thought of the Drog leaving us, when he can still do a good job for a year / 2 years yet.

And I certainly don;t want him to go to China! When and if he leaves us I'd like him to go to France, will he will feel more at home.

It's like flirting with a girl. Perhaps she will resist you at first, but if you continue to ask her out, it always ends well. Never give up

Huh, so that's where I've been going wrong.

Drogba will 'devour' the Chinese league and I sincerely hope he stays here. Torres and Lukaku look capable of about five goals a season between them.

Oh God. YET another thread on Drogba and why we should hold onto him despite the fact he is in the twighlight of his career.

People, Let GO.

"It's like flirting with a girl," said Shenhua spokesman Zhu Jun about the pursuit of Drogba on the Chinese equivalent of Twitter. "Perhaps she will resist you at first, but if you continue to ask her out, it always ends well. Never give up."

Zhu also told the Shanghai Daily: "It's like making a blockbuster film.

"When superstars like Jackie Chan, Jet Li and Zhou Xun have confirmed their participation, other actors and actress will be confident of the movie."

Looks to me like a bunch of clowns after some publicity!

Sounds like they keep asking and we/he keep saying 'no', and their plan is that we/he will eventually accidently say 'yes' if they keep asking.

Edited January 19, 201214 yr by bjd

True.

If he can get £200k per week out of some crazy Chinese people, go for it.

Sounds like they've been getting ideas from Family Guy/James Bond

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQohVFg0omY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=etKJm7i0K6I

Hero!

Edited January 19, 201214 yr by BenR55

As much as I like him, I think it's the right time to let him go, we can't keep hanging on to

some of these players that might have one good game in three.

are we talking about him leaving in January?

There is no way that would happen, he's on African Cup Of Nation's duty until after the window closes, so how is he going to join now?

As much as I admire Drogba, and all he has done here, I do think if China are offering to take him over there, then he'd be, and we'd be, right to let him go.

God I can't wait for this transfer window to be over.

Sell him.

Folks, let me say it once again and please try to pay attention, it isn't rocket science.

We let Drogba go when, and only when, we have a forward at the club who is;

1. Performing consistently, (note that word consistently. It will be in the test).

2. Scoring goals, ( a few goals, definately more than four).

3. As capable, or better, than Drogba was in his prime.

Number 3 may be a bit of a stretch as I suspect it will be a very, very, very long time indeed before we get another forward who is as good as Drogba was in his prime. But I live in hope.

To anyone who thinks we should be getting rid of Drogba while we only have Torres and Lukaku as our replacement central forwards, I say you are barking. Mad as a box of frogs. Should Torres again lose the decent form, (decent form people, not great or brilliant), he has shown in recent weeks and revert back to the mediocre level of performance he has displayed for much of his time with us we would be fighting for sixth spot and a europa league place in the blink of an eye.

He deffo won't leave this january, as there's no replacement for him at all. Also AVB said that, though he said some things that weren't true already..

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk

Drogba needs to stay and help us win the champions league

Bloody hell, that sounds like he`s being groomed or something. If I was Drogba and I read that I wouldnt go near them, I would be terrified and would stand with my back to a wall all the time.

Bloody hell, that sounds like he`s being groomed or something. If I was Drogba and I read that I wouldnt go near them, I would be terrified and would stand with my back to a wall all the time.

:laugh2:

too right

When he goes (not this month) I think it will be more than about money. The money will be huge, of course, and Drogba will have stars in his eyes knowing that all that cash can feed his charitable causes for decades to come. But more than that, the challenge of growing football in a 1.2 billion person country, based in one of the world's greatest cities is too much to pass up on.

Maybe that's just because I am reading Empire of the Sun right now

Seemingly Drogbq himself was asked about this and said he isn't going anywhere