Drogba delight at new Chelsea deal

Didier Drogba has committed his future emphatically to Chelsea FC by signing a new contract which ties him to the English champions until 2010.

'Best period of my career'
Droga, who scored Chelsea's stoppage-time equaliser in their UEFA Champions League draw at FC Barcelona on Tuesday to continue a rich vein of form, was delighted to extend his stay at Stamford Bridge: "I am not playing well just because I wanted to sign a new contract – I am playing well because I feel good and I am happy to train with my friends. I want to say thank you to José [Mourinho] for believing in me since the beginning and now we will be together for a long time. The best period of my career I think."

Goals galore
The 28-year-old Ivory Coast striker has enjoyed a superlative start to the season, scoring five times in ten Premiership appearances in addition to his five goals in the UEFA Champions League. He added: "When I came here it wasn't easy for me to say I would be signing a new contract with Chelsea, because the first year was difficult, the second one was OK, but I knew I could do better." Drogba joined Chelsea after an impressive 2003/04 campaign with Olympique de Marseille. He previously played for Le Mans UC 72 and En Avant Guingamp, both in France.