After debuting for the Montreal Impact in August of 2015 and setting the league on fire, international superstar Didier Drogba has left the MLS club.
French outlet L’Equipe reported Wednesday that the Ivorian striker has contacted Impact president Joey Saputo to inform him he will be retiring to join the technical staff under Guus Hiddink at Chelsea.
(UPDATE: Drogba responded to the L’Equipe report on Wednesday evening, claiming his future has yet to be decided.)
Lovely to receive these messages but I have not yet announced my retirement & am still in discussion with @impactmontreal about my future.
— Didier Drogba (@didierdrogba) January 6, 2016
Drogba had an astounding run in his short time in MLS, firing his side into the playoffs with 12 goals in 14 games. The striker would be returning to the club where he is a legend, having scored more than 100 goals and leading Chelsea to its first ever Champions League title in 2012.
___
What do you think of this big move? Is there anything the Impact could have done to prevent this? What kind of numbers did you see Drogba putting up next year?
Share your thoughts below.
There is sill the matter that Abramovich and Chelsea, by contacting Drogba ,and offering him a position with Chelsea without permission of the MLS. is legally, a torious interference with a contract. The MLS will still expect some compensation from Chelsea for this, as the deed happened before Drogba announced his retirement. It gets interesting though, in that the MLS are trying to get Falcao from Monaco, who is on loan to Chelsea.
OOOH! I hadn’t thought of this angle. One of my main hang-ups with bringing him over (beyond the fact that he is recently injured and out until Feb among all the other injuries he’s had in the last year) is the fact that we would be paying way too much money to get him over here.
Now, if we can use Drogba’s situation to bring the transfer $$ way down….
Sorry Montreal, but as a Crew fan I am suddenly very interested in Drogba’s coaching career!
If he’s sincerely retiring then more power to him.
However, if he (somehow) finds his way to playing on the pitch for Chelsea I wouldn’t be shocked. I also hope if/when that happens MLS makes a complete shitstorm with FIFA over it.
I’m just glad he seemed to give it his all while he was with Montreal and I got to see him score a great set piece goal in Colorado last year. Good luck Didier.
“What kind of numbers did you see Drogba putting up next year?”
from the bench in coaching attire?
I think the question is asking: What kind of numbers do you think Drogba would’ve posted had he chosen to stay and play a full season with the Impact?
There better not be a change of mind. There will be, but there better not be.
so what sort of compensation will he have to give Montreal for the 1 year remaining on his contract?
None, but they won’t have to pay him! Now if he un-retires say in August as Chris said, then it’s game on.
I hope he does and then I wan to hear Alexi Lalas get mad about it with zero self-awarness
Seems like a contract loophole in favor of players. What about the general and targeted allocation money that Montreal sent to Chicago in order to sign him? What if the contract was structured for higher pay in year one than year two in order to fit under the salary cap? I wonder if other teams include some sort of clause about retiring mid-contract for cause other than injury and compensation.
So, is Montreal to be compensated if he un-retires and plays or player/coaches?