Drogba to leave Chelsea - report

Didier Drogba has confirmed he plans to quit Chelsea following his Champions League final heroics, according to reports in France.

The striker has been quoted saying he informed his team-mates of his decision during the club's open-top bus parade on Monday after leading them to the greatest moment in their history on Saturday night.

"We will no longer be together next season," the 34-year-old said in quotes attributed to France Football magazine.

Drogba, who has reportedly already agreed a deal to join Shanghai Shenhua when his Chelsea contract expires this summer, is said to have admitted he struggled to get the words out and burst into tears.

He went on to say: "As I decided to leave, I wanted to tell them straight in the eye. Except that I could not do it. They made me crack.

"Even though it's been three years since I said I wanted to leave, I find it hard to admit that it's over with this club - especially as I did not feel like this.

"But I could not see myself sitting on the bench to watch others play when the club plans to set up a new team.

"So that's it - I am preparing for my leap into the unknown. It's going to be another adventure."

Drogba's departure would put a dampener on the jubilant Champions League celebrations of most of Chelsea's players and fans, who engaged in chants of, "Didier Drogba, we want you to stay", during the parade.

The Blues hierarchy had said they planned to sit down with the Ivory Coast star after Saturday's final in a bid to agree a contract extension. Whether they still make an 11th-hour attempt to keep him in the wake of his reported quotes remains to be seen.