DIDIER DROGBA scored 164 goals in a trophy-filled eight years at Chelsea.
And former Stamford Bridge team-mate Florent Malouda has labelled the Ivorian legend as the best player he has ever played with.
AP:Associated PressDidier Drogba scored 164 goals in 381 games for Chelsea[/caption]
GettyFlorent Malouda and Drogba won the Champions League together with the Blues[/caption]
Drogba, 42, won four Premier League titles, four FA Cups, three League Cups and the Champions League with Chelsea.
But Malouda, 42, also saw Drogba up close in France when they played together for Guingamp.
The pair played together 188 times in total over the years.
Speaking to DAZN Bet, Malouda declared: “Didier Drogba is the best striker I have played with. I saw him in France and watched his evolution.
“It’s because of the way he always overcame difficulties, he was never put in a comfortable position and he always came out on top.
“Chelsea were bringing in other top strikers when he was there, with Nicholas Anelka and Fernando Torres. But he would always find a way to reinvent himself and deliver in big games.
“He has amazing ability but his mentality is his strongest asset. I think Thierry Henry in Premier League history is first, but for the best players I played with I’d put Drogba first.
“Henry is a legend with different qualities, he has a high IQ and knows everything about football. But it’s hard for me to consider Henry a pure striker. He was more of a 9, 9-and-a-half, on the left.
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“Didier was the number 9, the target player. So I see him having different qualities, I compare Henry to Anelka. But what Henry did for Arsenal was also greatness.”
Drogba signed for Chelsea in a £24million deal from Marseille in 2004.
But in today’s market, Malouda reckons a prime Drogba would be worth over £200m.
He added: “In today’s market, a Drogba aged 24 or 25 would be worth over £200m because of his goalscoring record.
“He had the ability to play every game too, for club and country, without many injuries. For me he’d be worth over £200m in today’s market.”