Chelsea head for Asia without Drogba

CHELSEA have left for their pre-season tour of Asia without striker Didier Drogba.

The 30-year-old, who scored eight times in the Premier League last season, has been linked with a transfer away from Stamford Bridge this summer, although the Blues claim his absence from the trip is due to the need to recover from a knee injury.

Drogba’s omission seems certain to raise further questions about his future, however, with a virtually full-strength squad travelling to play games in China and Malaysia before returning to Europe for the Railways Cup in Moscow.