Drogba signs new three-year deal at Chelsea

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba signed a new three-year contract with the Premier League club on Wednesday.

The 31-year-old is now tied to Chelsea until 2012 after extending his current deal, which had a year to run, by a further two years.

The Ivory Coast international looked on his way out of Stamford Bridge last season after being dropped by Luiz Felipe Scolari, but he played his way back into form under Guus Hiddink and scored in Chelsea's FA Cup final victory over Everton.

He was also involved in a controversial clash with referee Tom Henning Ovrebo following Chelsea's Champions League semi-final exit against Barcelona which earned the former Marseille star a three-match European ban.

But Drogba's new deal, which is reported to be have raised his wages to around 100,000 pounds a week, is the perfect tonic for Chelsea after AC Milan on Wednesday refused to sell Italy midfielder Andrea Pirlo, the top transfer target for new Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti.

"I have decided to extend my contract with Chelsea for two extra years and I am very happy and proud to continue to wear the blue of Chelsea until then," Drogba told Chelsea's website.

"I love the club, I feel good here and I want to continue to win titles with them.

"I stay because I am ambitious to pick up lots more trophies, regain the Premier League title, win cups. It is for this that I have extended my time at Chelsea.

"But my number one objective is to win the Champions League. I am convinced that this year we can go to the end and finally lift this trophy.

"I'd like to take advantage of this message to thank the Chelsea supporters, who have always encouraged me with fervour as well as my fans," added Drogba, who was sent-off in the 2008 Champions League final against Manchester United which United went on to win on penalties.