Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas and Didier Drogba are still talking over a new deal despite the Ivory Coast international being out of contract in the summer and able to talk to interested parties in January. However, the striker is yet to be offered the two-year deal he reportedly covets, with the club refusing to budge on their 12-month proposal.

"We've had these talks before," Villas-Boas said. "Our interest is there and the agreement hasn't been done.

"January arrives and the player is free to start speaking to other people and he has this advantage but his integrity and his values are never in question, neither his professionalism.

"We have to reach an agreement. It's a two-way process and it's been on-going for quite some time.

"We could have reached an agreement earlier but it wasn't the case and now January arrives for the player to consider his options.

"For me as a manager it's important to count on the player and person and I'm sure I can have it 100 per cent."

 Click here to reach the No1 destination for hard news and exciting gossip on Chelsea