FAREWELL DIDIER DROGBA

Chelsea Football Club can confirm Didier Drogba will be leaving the club when his contract expires at the end of June.

Didier has spent eight years at Chelsea, and everyone at the club would like to thank him for his service and wish him luck and continued success for the future.

Didier leaves Chelsea having scored 157 goals in 341 appearances. He is the club's fourth all-time highest scorer, his 34 goals in European competition is a Chelsea record by 10 goals and his nine strikes in nine cup finals has contributed immensely to the most successful period in the club's history.

He won three Premier League titles, four FA Cups, two Carling Cups and now, in the most dramatic and glorious of circumstances, the Champions League. He has been named Chelsea's Player of the Year and Players' Player of the Year and won the Premier League Golden Boot twice.

The 34-year-old said: 'I wanted to put an end to all the speculation and confirm that I am leaving Chelsea. It has been a very difficult decision for me to make and I am very proud of what we have achieved but the time is right for a new challenge for me.