SHOCKER:Drogba,not Abramovich,convinced me to join Chelsea says HAZARD

Eden Hazard has revealed that Didier Drogba was the man who persuaded him to sign for Chelsea from Lille for £32 million in 2012. Hazard, 24, was named the PFA Players' Player of the Year this year and has won the Premier League, League Cup and UEFA Europa League since arriving at Stamford Bridge. But the Belgian midfielder was not thinking about a future at Chelsea before Roberto Di Matteo landed them the Champions League in 2012. And, contrary to his former coach Rudi Garcia's claims that it was owner Roman Abramovich who persuaded the player to relocate to England by offering to triple his wages, Hazard insists that Chelsea icon Drogba was the key.

"I didn't want to go to Chelsea because I wanted to play the Champions League and they were sixth in the league," he told the Daily Mirror. "I was convinced when they won the Champions League in 2012. "At the time, Roberto Di Matteo really wanted me, they had Juan Mata, and Oscar had been bought. I was told: 'You'll see, Chelsea will play football'. "Gervinho called me and said: 'Someone's on the phone'. I didn't know who it was but it was Drogba, he wanted me to sign. "I was flattered, he was maybe the best striker in the world. In my head, I wasn't going to sign, but in the end I was very pleased with my choice. I didn't speak to Abramovich. I don't know why coach Garcia wrote that in his book."