Toure, the brother of Arsenal centre-back Kolo, said: "Didier spoke to me and said he would like to come to Barca.

"He said that he was also keen on AC Milan and Real Madrid but that most of all he would like to come to Barca."

Drogba, who cost Chelsea £24million in 2004, is under contract until 2010 but said that he wanted to leave because of the departure of manager Jose Mourinho.

A statement on the Chelsea website, said to be from Drogba, later retracted the statement.