Marseille president Pape Diouf has reaffirmed his wish
to bring Chelsea forward Didier Drogba back to the south of
France.
The Ivory Coast striker rose to promience during his time at the
Stade Velodrome, earning his £24 million move to Stamford Bridge in
summer 2004 after hitting 19 league goals and guiding the club to
the UEFA Cup final in his one and only season with the club,
scoring against both Liverpool and Newcastle in the process.
However, Drogba has struggled for both fitness and form in west
London this season, with the Ivorian often benched in favour
of Nicolas Anelka by former Chelsea coach Luiz Felipe
Scolari.
And with Drogba hinting in the past that he would like to
return to Marseille one day, the club's president Diouf says he has
not given up hope of bringing the powerful forward back sooner
rather than later.
"We must talk to our supporters in adult language," he told 10
Sport. "They know we do what we say, and vice-versa. To say to
them, 'We are going to win the Champions League' or 'Drogba is
going to return', I will not allow myself to do it - that would be
showing them a lack of respect.
"On the other hand, to say to them, 'Like you, I really want
Drogba to come back and if there is a possibility of doing it, I
will do it', that I can guarantee them.
"Each time I see him, I say to him, 'Now Didier, get your bags
together and come back here! Even if the possibility is thin, it
still exists.
"When you look at the economic reality square in the face, it isn't
reasonable for a French club. However, you can't exclude thinking
of other scenarios, like the boy accepting a pay cut, efforts on
our part."