Premier League - Kenyon: Drogba stays

Eurosport - Mon, 01 Dec 21:07:00 2008

Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon has insisted that Didier Drogba will not leave the club in January - nor will be any new faces arriving at Stamford Bridge once the transfer window opens.

FOOTBALL Chelsea Drogba - 0

The Ivorian striker's future has been the subject of much speculation after a troubled start to the season was followed by reports of a meeting with representatives of Italian champions Internazionale.

But Kenyon remains adamant Drogba will stay and honour his contract, which runs until the end of next season.

Kenyon told BBC Sport: "Didier's under contract for the next 18 months. He will be going nowhere in January."

He added: "Whether people leave Chelsea is as much down to us as anybody else. I don't know whether he did or he didn't (meet Inter representatives).

"But he's a big player for us and we want him back. He's one of those players who can make a difference."

Drogba has been regularly linked with a move elsewhere with Inter, now led by former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, the current favourites to entice him away from Stamford Bridge.

Reports of a meeting with Inter sporting director Marco Branca and Mourinho's agent Jorge Mendes emerged in the build-up to the Blues' Champions League clash with Bordeaux.

Luiz Felipe Scolari denied he knew anything of the revelations and said: "I do not sleep with Drogba."

Drogba himself has done little to douse the flames of speculation, the striker merely reiterating he had a contract with Chelsea until 2010.

The former Marseille player has endured a difficult season and having missed the start of the campaign through injury he is yet to open his Premier League goals account.

And the 30-year-old is currently serving a three-match ban for throwing a coin back into the crowd during the Blues' Carling Cup defeat to Burnley.

But despite Drogba's problems, Kenyon appears determined to hang on to him, meaning there is little likelihood of Chelsea delving into the transfer market come January.

His regular involvement, along with the return of the likes of Ricardo Carvalho, Michael Essien and Juliano Belletti, will be relied on to help Chelsea's title push in the second half of the season.

"I don't think we will be doing any business in the January transfer window because the type of players we are looking for are not available," said Kenyon.

"Another reason is that we have still got some long-term injuries coming back and in January or February, Chelsea will have more player availability.

"We put our squad together in the summer and we are concentrating on the squad we have and making sure our players get back from injury. On that basis, we think we have got a good enough squad to improve on last season."

Mike Hytner / Eurosport

Comment 26 - 45 of 65

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  1. R G, comment 45,
    Yes this rings a bell. Where is the­ return in investment after you have squandered more­ than £32m on a player? The whole business is a gamble.

    From sappercommando25, on Mon 1 Dec 9:16PM

  2. Shame the sooner the prem gets rid of this sulking coin­ throwing cheapskate the better.

    From sue.theodossiadis, on Mon 1 Dec 9:16PM

  3. This was always going to happen....When you spend vast­ amounts of money on "The finished article"­ you only have a short amount of time to be sucsessfull­ in (which by the way you were) then you have to spend­ vast amounts of money on maintaining that sucsess.­ Where is your youth system? and don't say arnesen­ (what has he brought to the club?

    From R G, on Mon 1 Dec 9:05PM

  4. The performance of Chelsea was one thing but the post­ match whining was another. Who the hell does Scholari­ think he is, thinking that he would get an apology from­ the Referee? Did the deluded Scholari think that this­ would change the result of the match? If you don't­ play like you want to win, then maybe you don't­ deserve a victory in the first place. I believe that­ Manchester United shall top the table at the end of the­ season and hope that Arsenal shall come second. As for­ FC Liverpool and London Chelsea, they can sit at the­ bottom, propping up the rest of the table for all I­ care.

    From sappercommando25, on Mon 1 Dec 9:04PM

  5. Chelsea were a joke Sunday. With players like Solomon­ "Clueless" Kalou who's so useless he­ wouldn't play for my local Kent League side coupled­ with a bunch of slow, old men Chelsea don't stand a­ chance of winning anything.

    From Vincent, on Mon 1 Dec 8:50PM

  6. i am not a fan to chelsea but they prove they are­ strong without drogba essien and the others but this­ isn't your chelsea this year is for liverpool

    From oujj c, on Mon 1 Dec 8:35PM

  7. Chelsea are having a 'blip'; nothing more.­ Having one third of the 1st team squad injured would­ descimate most teams, yet Chelsea are still top two.­ Drogba has had a bad spell, and having his head turned­ by Inter isn't helping. Once he's back from­ injury /suspension, he knows only too well, the only­ way he's winning a transfer to Inter, or winning­ his final bumper pay rise at Chelsea, is to perform on­ the pitch. By early 2009, Anelka will be sulking on the­ bench, Chelsea's 'crisis' will be over,­ Liverpool will be 3rd and it's a straight 2 way­ battle for Chelsea with Man U. Chelsea cannot afford to­ sell him. What odds you recon I'd get on that lot?­ Short I say!

    From E, on Mon 1 Dec 8:28PM

  8. Good news. Chelsea needs Drogba.

    From Susan, on Mon 1 Dec 8:21PM

  9. simon l.you sound like a typical armchair fan.you know­ nowt about football either you loser

    From marc e, on Mon 1 Dec 8:13PM

  10. All of you ....whoever made these nigative comnt...you­ people are just prostitute's as soon as you see­ some thing comeing up about Chelsea you start to talk­ ...get a life sort out you own @#$% in your own­ clubs.... you porkpai twats......

    true­ blue...'''ssss i we see in the end of­ season....who gonna have last word....

    @#$% all off­ you who ever got red color......

    From romeow111, on Mon 1 Dec 8:11PM

  11. Great!! i was looking forward to going to football­ matches without the need for a safety helmet, taking­ into consideration that drogba is now staying i sharnt­ be getting rid of mine just yet, i mean the last thing­ i want is to sustain injury if he decides to throw­ things at the crowd again.

    From Skittles, on Mon 1 Dec 7:57PM

  12. I like POST 30 lol, altho said in a mick taking manner­ its spot on.

    From Skittles, on Mon 1 Dec 7:54PM

  13. CHELSEA IS @#$%, THEY ARE WASTEMEN!!!!!

    GUNNERZ ALL­ DA WAYYYY!!!!!

    From Ripster, on Mon 1 Dec 7:52PM

  14. Chelsea are rubbish anyway

    From Emma, on Mon 1 Dec 7:46PM

  15. Chelsea need drogba.
    Anelka's lucky streak is­ running out!

    From codonnell95, on Mon 1 Dec 7:02PM

  16. post 30.your the idiot.get real m8

    From marc e, on Mon 1 Dec 6:44PM

  17. drogba,anelka and other chelsea stars can only score­ when they play midle table teams and suporters think­ that they have top class strikers.they couldn't win­ last night and reson is that with big teams they have­ no chance.after spending 500 milions all they can do is­ to win over hall.what a losers and fans spend money to­ watch team full of expensive not good so called big­ stars.

    From mighdiseli, on Mon 1 Dec 6:43PM

  18. This is message from Big Phil Scolari: I only take dis­ job eerrrrr because it easy errrrr and make me look­ like errrrr I know how to manage eerrrr but with no­ money errrr the truth come out errrr that I am­ idiot.

    Signed,
    Portuguese Gene Hackman

    From Ryan , on Mon 1 Dec 6:29PM

  19. absence of drogba really affects chelsea as scolari can­ go with the @#$% nic anelka(who doesn't know to­ score). bring back drogba and start the title challenge­ harder

    From ziya_aza, on Mon 1 Dec 6:28PM

  20. I think Chelsea needs a forward

    From melek, on Mon 1 Dec 6:21PM
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