Chelsea
legend Didier Drogba has jokingly said he is coming out of retirement two years
after hanging his boots.
The
Ivorian said this while reacting to the news of former teammate Petr Cech being
named as a backup goalkeeper by Frank Lampard.
He
will deputise for Eduoard Mendy, Kepa Arrizabalaga, and Willy Caballero at
Stamford Bridge for this season.
Drogba who was a part of their Champions League triumph in 2012 said on Twitter that he is on his way to the club's training complex. He said:
"already on his
way to Cobham”
Message for @didierdrogba, get your boots on my friend. 💙 pic.twitter.com/Z3B5mpcxO5
— Frank Khalid (@FrankKhalidUK) October 21, 2020
During
his two stints at Stamford Bridge, Drogba won four Premier League titles, four
FA Cups, and a famous Champions League victory.
The
42-year-old Ivorian scored 164 goals and 86 assists in 381 appearances across
all competitions for the London club.
He
also had stints at Galatasaray, Montreal Impact among other top clubs before
calling it quit two years back. According to Daily Mail, Lampard said after
bringing Cech out of retirement as a backup goalkeeper.
"It's
definitely not for the romance. Pete's been training with the keepers for a
little while. He's very fit and still relatively young. Pete finished playing
when he could have probably carried on and taken on his role at Chelsea, which
he does very well.
"We
had a space in the squad and this year is like no other because of Covid and
what it might do to selection and isolation. So it was an easy one. Pete will
still do his day job but he's there if we need him."
Didier
Drogba and Frank Lampard after facing off for the first time in the Champions
League.
"Whether
we see him or not I'm not so sure. It depends how the season goes with Covid
and isolations. I certainly felt it was a no-brainer to have Pete in the squad
for that reason and he can only help the goalkeepers we have. He's one of the
best in the world in the modern era."
Legit.ng
earlier reported that Frank Lampard has named his summer signing Edouard Mendy
as Chelsea's first-choice goalkeeper.
The
28-year-old completed a move to Stamford Bridge this summer from Rennes as a
replacement for Kepa Arrizabalaga who has endured an underwhelming form in
recent months.
Having
missed Chelsea's 3-3 draw against Southampton in the Premier League through
injury, the Senegalese keeper was drafted in the starting XI against Sevilla in
the Champions League.
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