Drogba to quit Guingamp

The 25-year-old has rejected the offer of a vastly improved contract at Guingamp and will head for pastures new at the end of the season.

The Ivory Coast forward has netted 15 goals in 32 appearances this season and his goalscoring prowess has attracted a plethora of interest.

Arsenal, Aston Villa, Birmingham City, Lyon, Lens and Paris Saint Germain are all believed to have monitored Drogba's progress but Marseille are heading the queue for the ‚é¼5 million-rated (£3.5 million) forward with the player keen to stay in Le Championnat.

"On Tuesday against Monaco, I will play my last match at Roudourou, in front of those people who always supported me and who love me," Drogba told France Football.

"En Avant will always stay in my heart, here I have a friend for my whole life. The officials did everything to keep me. They showed greatly they rely on me.

"I still had one year on my contract and they proposed me a two-year extension with a great wages improvement. I am sorry to have refused.

"I can assert that I haven't talked yet with any club. My priority is to stay in France. About a foreign country, we will see a little later."

Also heading for the Guingamp exit door is young attacker Florent Malouda, who has snubbed a contract extension.

Malouda has a year remaining on his present deal and has been granted permission to leave by Guingamp chairman Noel Le Graet.

The 22-year-old is being tracked by Bordeaux, Nantes, Lens and Lyon with the French champions Malouda's preferred destination as they can satisfy his desire for Champions League football.