Marseille were encouraged to approach Drogba, after The Ivorian lost his place at Stamford Bridge due to successive injuries as well as the brilliant form of France's Nicolas Anelka.

"I called Peter Kenyon to sound him out about Didier Drogba, But they absolutely do not want to let him go," Marseille owner Robert Louis-Dreyfus told L'Equipe.

Prior to joining the Blues in 2004, Drogba played 119 games for Marseille where he scored 51 goals for the French coastal club.

Dreyfus added that he turned attentions towards Inter striker Adriano and Bayern Munich attacker Lukas Podolski, but his attempts were not successful.

"I thought about Adriano, so I tried to contact Inter president Massimo Moratti, but I have had no reply so far.

"Podolski? I talked with Bayern manager Uli Hoeness, when I was in Munich. Bayern want £9.1millions but, according to me, either he will stay or he will join Cologne."