Galatasaray announce Drogba signing

Galatasaray have announced the signing of Didier Drogba from Shanghai Shenhua on a one-and-a-half-year contract.

The former Chelsea striker has long been linked with a return to Europe after leaving Stamford Bridge for China in the close season, and, despite rumours of interest from Italy, the Turkish champions have won the race for his signature.

“Big clubs can reach for higher targets with bigger goals,” the club’s president Unal Aysal commented on the deal.

“Drogba said that he was very happy to play for a big club like Galatasaray in the future. Drogba met our coach and decided to come to Galatasaray.”

Drogba said: “The opportunity to play for this great club was an offer that I could not turn down.

“I am looking forward to playing in the Champions League again, against the best clubs in Europe.”

Both AC Milan and Juventus had been closely linked with a January move for the Ivory Coast icon, but Galatasaray announced yesterday that they had opened talks with the player.

He will link up with his new team-mates Ivory Coast’s involvement at the Africa Cup of Nations ends.

Drogba is the second star name to move to the Turk Telekom Arena this January, with Wesley Sneijder making the switch from Inter to Istanbul last week.