Drogba: Terry and I will stay with Chelsea
DIDIER DROGBA opened his pre-season account with a goal in Chelsea’s friendly victory over Inter Milan yesterday – and then edged closer to signing a new three-year deal.
The Ivorian looked in imperious form as the Blues swept aside former boss Jose Mourinho’s side in front of 82,000 fans in Pasadena, California.
Drogba now looks set to end speculation about his future by penning a new contract at Stamford Bridge – and believes he will be swiftly followed by captain John Terry.
The England captain played a full 90 minutes for new boss Carlo Ancelotti in California despite his public pursuit by Manchester City.
“He’s our captain and we need him and we know he’s going to stay with us and win more trophies,” a convinced Drogba said.
Drogba netted the opener for the Blues on 11 minutes before Frank Lampard bagged the second from the penalty spot just after half-time to seal victory over the Italian champions.
And although Drogba insists it was nice to see former boss Mourinho again, he remains excited about the future under Ancelotti. “It’s always nice to see him, he was a big part of Chelsea’s success and now we’re moving on. We have a new manager now and we’re all happy for him because he won his second game out of two, so it’s all good. We’re working hard, this is only the start and we want to be ready for the start of the season.”
Ancelotti, meanwhile, is delighted to have a committed Drogba in the ranks, insisting he has a unique talent at his disposal.
“Drogba is a very important player for us and we want him to play for Chelsea,” he said. “He’s irreplaceable as no other striker in the world can do the same job. I’ve spoken with Drogba and know what he wants. He told me he’s happy to stay.”
Chelsea have also been boosted by midfielder John Obi Mikel signing a new five-year deal last night.