European champions Chelsea have made a sensational bid to re-sign legendary striker Didier Drogba. However, the man who is currently in South Africa in search of glory with Ivory Coast in the 29^th Africa Cup of nations prefers to move to Galatasaray, according to reports from England.

Both The Sun and Daily Mail this morning reported that Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich made an embarrassing U-turn by sanctioning a move for the former Blues hero.

Drogba, 34, was offered a six-month deal to the summer with a further one-year option for next season.

“It was a blunt admission by Red Rom that his £50 million golden boy Fernando Torres has flopped,” The Sun reported. “But Drogba turned down Rom’s offer and is set to join Turkish side Galatasaray today.”

Drogba had quit Chelsea for Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua in May after scoring the winning penalty in Blues’ Champions League final win over Bayern Munich, Germany.

He left after Blues offered him a one-year deal when he wanted two. The Ivorian goal machine however failed to settle in China and has been looking for a move during the transfer window. Drogba (shown in photo) trained at Chelsea before the African Nations Cup so the club’s top brass believed they were in pole position to get him back.

But other clubs also wanted him and last night was locked in talks with Galatasaray.

They can offer Drogba up to £6m AFTER tax plus the lure of Champions League football with a tie against German side Schalke in the last 16.

A spokesman for the Turks said: “Galatasaray Sports Club has begun official negotiations regarding the transfer of Ivorian professional football player Didier Drogba from FC Shanghai Shenhua.”