Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn has heaped praise on Chelsea striker Didier Drogba over news that he donate £3 million towards the building of a hospital in Ivory Coast.

In his column for the Daily Mail, Quinn wrote: "What Didier Drogba has chosen to do with the £3million sponsorship money he will receive from Pepsi is sheer class.

"It is great to hear stuff like this and it makes me proud to be associated with the Premier League.

"This should help counter the belief that the League is packed full of mercenaries.

"Didier’s motivation is obvious — he realises that he has escaped the poverty so prevalent in Africa and it is to his enormous credit that he is prepared to do something about it."