Jose Mourinho Confirms Didier Drogba Close to Chelsea Return

Jose Mourinho has confirmed he is close to bringing Didier Drogba back to Chelsea.

Following an 18-month spell with Turkish giants Galatasaray, Drogba is currently a free agent and has reportedly received offers from Juventus and a number of Major League Soccer sides.

But the 36-year-old is likely to favour a return to Chelsea two years on from his departure after scoring perhaps the most important goal in the club's history –a winning penalty in the 2012 Champions League final against Bayern Munich.

But Mourinho suggests the striker's likely return to Stamford Bridge will not be fuelled by sentiment, but as part of his efforts to assemble the strongest squad possible ahead of the new season.

"We want to win matches and win titles, and Didier is one of the best strikers in Europe, who is still very adapted to the needs of the Premier League, and we are thinking about it in a non-emotional way," Mourinho said.

"If you bring him back, it is not because he is Didier or scored the most important goal in the history of Chelsea, or because I read I need an assistant, no.

"If I bring him back and the decision has to be made soon, because I want to close the dressing-room door, it is because as a player he has certain qualities to make a team stronger.

"Mr Abramovich does not speak a lot. But as you can imagine, he is very intelligent and he feels people belong to the club. We feel that Didier belongs to us."

After leaving Chelsea as a 34-year-old following that European success at the Allianz Arena, Drogba joined Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua before returning to European competition with Galatasaray in January 2013, where he won further accolades with the Super Lig title and Turkish Cup.

While the Ivorian is in the twilight of his career, Mourinho believes age is not a factor ahead of the striker's imminent return to west London.

"I was not a top professional player," Mourinho continued. "I communicate a lot with players and former players to understand the situation better.

"When they become older, the point is not to lose a quality player; it is about how they recover from match to match.

"A young kid plays today and in 48 hours is ready to play the next game. And in a season can play 50 matches. Between 20 something and 30, they are the same good players, same football brains. It is important how they recover from match to match.

"With Didier's profile, being a squad player I think could be important for any team.

"And because we know his heart is pushing him to where he feels he belongs, and because our boss has this big feeling towards him, we are thinking about the possibility."

Drogba would be Mourinho's fifth addition this summer following the arrival of former Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas, Atletico Madrid duo Diego Costa, Filipe Luis and 19-year-old midfielder Mario Pasalic.