FOOTBALL CLUB WORLD

Explosive forward Didier Drogba's Chelsea future has become surrounded in doubt, with the Blues striker understood to have held discussions with officials at Serie A club Inter Milan, according to a news website.

The popular Drogba is understood to have met with Nerazzurri coach Jose Mourinho’s agent Jorge Mendes and Marco Branca the technical director at the San Siro along with his powerful agent Pierre Frelot at a restaurant in West London.

As we know, former Stamford Bridge manager Mourinho was a huge influence on Drogba, while at Chelsea and had been heavily linked with a move to bring the former Marseille striker to Inter in the summer. However, Drogba, who is currently serving a three-match ban for throwing a coin in the Carling Cup defeat to Burnley, remained at the Premier League side.

Jose Mourinho has an abundance of striker’s at the San Siro, with Hernan Crespo, Adriano, Mario Balotelli, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Julio Cruz and Victor Obinna all fighting for a starting berth upfront for Inter. Despite this Mourinho is expected to offload brazilian Adriano in January, with Balotelli a reported target for Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea, while Crespo never made the grade under Mourinho at the Blues.

We must notice that young striker Obinna had been heavily linked with a loan move to Everton in the summer, but this didn’t materialise due to work permit problems and this deal could be resurrected in January, which if as Mourinho has stated recently that some forward’s will leave Inter in January then the path would be clear for Inter to sign Didier Drogba, who would be keen on a reunion with his former boss.

Portuguese star Deco broke his silence last night to admit that Chelsea are openly pursuing him.

But the talented player insisted that nothing will be finalised until he has met Barcelona officials.

"I already knew about the interest from Chelsea, and other teams. I still need to speak to FC Barcelona," said Deco.

"However, I am going to have news. I knew that Barcelona wanted rid of me, Ronaldinho and Samuel Eto'o. I have to respect the decision, move on and think about my own career."