Special Reports
SCO Summit 2006
Earthquake in Indonesia
Chelsea not to sell Drogba, says Mourinho
www.chinaview.cn 2006-05-20 07:53:54

    LONDON, May 19 (Xinhua) -- Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho claimed on Friday that he will prevent striker Didier Drogba from leaving Stamford Bridge this summer.

    The 28-year-old Ivorian said he wanted to quit the Premiership but Mourinho says they would not sell him.

    "He has two years left on his deal and we consider him to be not negotiable," said Mourinho. "He has no chance of leaving. He has to play for Chelsea.

    "If he plays with happiness, fantastic, because we get the best of him. If not, he doesn't play. It's his problem."

    Chelsea have been linked with a move for AC Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko, but Mourinho admits the Italian giants are unlikely to sell the 29-year-old Ukrainian.

    He added: "As for Shevchenko, we would like to bring him, but he's a Milan player and he has a long-term contract with them.

    "Milan have the power, like we have the power with Drogba, and my feeling is that they don't want to sell and they will keep him.

    "I like the player and I would like to have him - but a lot of clubs want Drogba and they can't have him."

    Drogba, who cost 24 million pound from Marseille in 2004, came in for heavy criticism during his second season in England.

    He recently had to issue a retraction after admitting diving and scoring with his hand during a Premiership match against Manchester City.

    "I want to move on and avoid all the pressure and scandals. Those things hurt my feelings," Drogba told the Sun.

    "Anywhere I go, the Champions League will be there waiting for me."

    While Mourinho has told Drogba that he will not be allowed to leave the champions, the Chelsea boss is prepared to listen to offers for six other squad members.

    Hernan Crespo, Eidur Gudjohnsen, Carlton Cole, Robert Huth, Lenny Pidgeley and Glen Johnson could exit Stamford Bridge this summer if the price is right.

    Mourinho said: "I don't want to push them, I am not saying I don't like them or trust them and I am not saying I am desperate to move them - that is not the case.

    "They want more for themselves but the situation is not easy for them at Chelsea. For example Glen Johnson is a great boy but he has Paulo Ferreira and Geremi with a lot of experience in front of him.

    "Robert Huth is the same thing. He is a player present in the World Cup but you look at him at Chelsea and he has Ricardo Carvalho and Gallas and John Terry ahead of him.

    "The position with Eidur is that he is a great football player.We want to keep him but we are open to speak with clubs about him if they show a real interest in him."    Enditem

Editor: Liu Dan
E-mail Us Print This Article
Related Stories
Top legislator Wu, Putin meet on ties
President Hu anticipates successful SCO summit
Chinaview.cn Takes on New Look
People's Daily calls for clean local Party elections
Iran ready for nuclear talks with EU
Indonesia's human bird flu death toll rises to 37
Iran says it has conducted research on nuclear fusion
New material makes invisibility possible: studies
Hollywood Jolie welcomes baby girl
US military accepts responsibility for Afghan accident
Roddick, Petrova, Safin bow out of French Open
50 hooligans banned from attending World Cup matches
Liu Xiang wins 110m hurdles
Totti backs against Swiss
Olympic gold medalist Xing Huina to compete in NYC