Drogba fee agreed

Didier Drogba is to head to London on Tuesday after Marseille agreed a fee with Chelsea for his services.

The Uefa Cup finalists rejected The Blues' initial bid for the Ivory Coast international but were unable to resist the finances on offer from Roman Abramovich's West Londoners.

The fee is around £24 million and makes the African attacker one of the most expensive signings in British history.

Drogba had initially expressed his desire to remain at l'OM after only arriving at Stade Velodrome from Guingamp a year ago.

The 26-year-old was voted France's Player of the Year last term and becomes the capital club's record signing, eclipsing the amount paid for Claude Makelele and Hernan Crespo, whose exit to Milan paved the way for Drogba's arrival.

"We came to a final agreement with Chelsea this Monday," l'OM chairman Christophe Bouchet told the club's official website.

"The agreement came at the beginning of the afternoon with Peter Kenyon for the transfer of Didier Drogba to Chelsea.

"The player will leave for London on Tuesday."

Jose Mourinho is also close to signing Tiago Mendes and may yet manage to introduce a new centre back to his squad before travelling to the United States for a pre-season tour.

Marseille have already made plans to spend some of their cash windfall with Bixente Lizarazu joining the Ligue 1 outfit.