MANCHESTER CITY are ready to make a £15million swoop for Chelsea bad-boy Didier Drogba.

Boss Mark Hughes made a firm inquiry about the Ivory Coast hitman in January and, although he was knocked back, the Londoners admitted a summer move was a possibility.

Now City want to push through a three-year deal, worth around £150,000 a week, as soon as the window reopens.

Hughes is desperate to recruit a powerful front man after cooling his interest in Blackburn’s Roque Santa Cruz.

Drogba’s Stamford Bridge future was up in the air even before last week’s foul-mouthed television rant following their Champions League KO.

There is a split within Chelsea over whether to keep him or not but City’s offer — for a 31-year-old who has been plagued by injury problems — would be hard to ignore.

Meanwhile, Hughes insists he has no fears about his future at City.

The Eastlands boss said: “People talking about me and my job is just water off a duck’s back.

“But from within the club I feel I’m getting some credit. I have two years left on my contract at the moment. My view is I’ll be here next year.”


The Sun