Didier Drogba retirement report premature, despite links to Chelsea

A report that Didier Drogba has retired from playing to rejoin Chelsea as assistant to Guus Hiddink is premature, it is understood.

Chelsea declined to comment on a report by L’Equipe on Wednesday night which stated Drogba was set to quit playing with Major League Soccer’s Montreal Impactto return to London.

Drogba reportedly has a year to run on his contract with the Canadian side, who would be reluctant to let their talisman leave.

The 37-year-old enjoyed an illustrious playing career across two spells at Stamford Bridge. He has been repeatedly linked with joining the Blues for a third time since Hiddink was appointed interim manager last month after José Mourinho left Chelsea for a second time.

The former Ivory Coast striker, who watched the first match since the departure of Mourinho alongside Hiddink and Chelsea’s owner, Roman Abramovich, against Sunderland on 19 December, scored 164 goals in 381 appearances for the Blues. He struck 157 times in 341 appearances during his first spell, which concluded with the 2012 Champions League victory in Munich.