Drogba in 'discussions' with Montreal despite Chelsea talk

Didier Drogba says he is still in discussions with Montreal Impact over his future, saying a report that he had retired from playing to rejoin Chelsea as assistant to Guus Hiddink was premature.

Montreal Impact striker Didier Drogba Source: AAP

Chelsea declined to comment on a report by French sports daily L'Equipe on Wednesday night which stated Drogba was quitting playing in Major League Soccer to return to London.

And the 37-year-old, who has a year to run on his contract with Montreal for whom he scored 12 goals in 14 games for last season, said discussions were ongoing over his future.

Montreal would be reluctant to let their talisman leave, but he has emotional ties to Stamford Bridge, where he enjoyed two spells.

He has been repeatedly linked with joining the Blues for a third time since Hiddink was appointed interim boss last month after Jose Mourinho left Chelsea for a second time.

The former Cote d'Ivoire striker, who watched the first match since the departure of Mourinho alongside Hiddink and owner Roman Abramovich against Sunderland on 19 December, has a rich history with Chelsea.

Drogba scored 164 goals in 381 appearances for the Blues, 157 of the strikes coming in 341 appearances in his first spell, which concluded with the 2012 UEFA Champions League victory in Munich.

He left Chelsea for two seasons after his silverware-laden eight-year spell and has won four Premier League titles, four FA Cups and three League Cups with the Blues.

Drogba had joined Chelsea in the northern summer of 2004 from Marseille and had short spells with Shanghai Shenhua and Galatasaray in between his stints at Stamford Bridge.

He returned in opposition with the Turkish side in March 2014.