“He was a nightmare for defenders” - Wayne Rooney says ex-Chelsea star would be ‘worth a lot of money’ if he played now
Wayne Rooney reckons Chelsea legend Didier Drogba would have cost a fortune had he played in the modern era.
Drogba joined the Blues from Olympique de Marseille back in 2004 for a reported £24 million. He had a stellar career at Stamford Bridge and was often a player for the big occasions.
Rooney thinks Drogba's ability to torment defenders would have been a treasure in today's game and he would have been a valuable asset in the transfer market. The Manchester United legend said (via The Boot Room):
“He was a nightmare for defenders. When you talk about number nines now and you look at Haaland, probably the best two is Haaland and Kane, or the only two. They’re so difficult to find now and I think Drogba is the perfect number nine. He had pace, power, could score with both feet, could head it, free-kicks. If Drogba was around now he’d be worth a lot of money.”
Didier Drogba made 381 appearances for Chelsea across two spells, scoring 164 goals and providing 88 assists. He won four Premier League titles, one UEFA Champions League, and four FA Cups among other trophies.
Drogba hung up the boots back in 2018 with Arizona United being the Ivorian's last club.
Former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho reveals his popularity in Africa
During his career, former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has helped several African players flourish. He signed players like Drogba, Michael Essien, Saloman Kalou, John Obi Mikel, and more for the Blues.
Mourinho has now said that he is adored in Africa and has a lot of fans on the continent. The Portuguese said in a recent interview with Rio Ferdinand (via Sports Brief):
"It's simple, I can't go to Africa anymore! The supporters are crazy, everywhere! I coached Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou who is Ivorian, Samuel Eto'o from Cameroon, Michael Essien, Muntari from Ghana, John Obi Mikel... I've had guys from all over Africa."
Mourinho is currently without a job after being sacked by Serie A club AS Roma last month.