Former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has revealed that he could call quits on his playing career at the end of the season. The 39-year-old is currently plying his trade for United Soccer League side Phoenix Rising, whom he joined in April of this year.
Drogba has already amassed 10 goals in just 14 outings for the American outfit, and this has taken his overall career total to 296 goals in 677 matches. In an interview with RMC Sport, Drogba was asked about his future where he opened up his plans for retirement next year. He said: “Ah, do you want a scoop? I think next year will be my last season. At some point, you have to stop. I need to have time for my other projects. It’s good to play, but at 39, it holds me back a bit.”
The former Ivory Coast international has featured for eight different clubs in his career, but he is fond for his time in west London with Chelsea, where he won four Premier League titles in two separate spells. He also helped the Blues secure the Champions League crown in 2012 after he scored the winning penalty in a 4-3 shootout win over Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena in Munich.
Chelsea recently saw the exit of Michael Emenalo from the club’s director of football by mutual consent, and there are talks that Drogba could be an option to replace him having been spotted in the executive box on a number of occasions since leaving the club.
The veteran was voted as the Blues all-time play in a poll nearly five years ago, and the club’s faithful would surely welcome the Ivorian into a backroom role, although a final decision could be left to Roman Abramovich, who would surely want someone with experience and the negotiation power to lure players of high standard to Stamford Bridge.