Chelsea's Didier Drogba climbs aboard the Shanghai Express

IT LOOKS like it’s the Orient for Didier Drogba, and we’re not talking about Leyton. Rather, the 33-year-old Chelsea striker seems destined for Shanghai Shenhua of the Chinese Super League.

According to the Metro, the Ivorian hitman could be unveiled as Shanghai's new superstar as early as Monday. The paper quotes the club's owner, Zhu Jun, as saying: "Everything is going well so far though there have been a few obstacles... Maybe we can complete a deal before Chinese New Year [January 23]."

Shenhua have already snapped up Drogba's former Chelsea team-mate, fractious French frontman Nicolas Anelka, and now it appears they're going to reunite the pair at the Hongkou Stadium.

Asked about the likelihood of a deal going through this month, Drogba's agent, Thierno Seydi, first reminded the world that his client is out of contract with the Blues come June. Then he said: "At Didier's age, he has nothing left to prove as a player. He will go where he is offered the most money. It could be the United States, Russia, Qatar or somewhere else in Asia." And they say the romance has gone out of the game...

Talking of romance, Carlo Ancelotti’s love for Fernando Torres appears to have cooled in the last 24 hours. Earlier in the week the Paris Saint Germain manager was telling all and sundry that he had been offered the chance to buy the goal-phobic frontman from Chelsea. Now however the former Chelsea boss appears to have performed what an Italian sea captain should have done – a U-turn.

Speaking to Sky Italia, Ancelotti said: "I have been offered many players, but Cavani and Torres are not part of them." He added: "Many names are linked to me only because I had a good relationship with them."

A good relationship is what Roma want to have with Ravel Morrison, at least according to Talksport. They claim that the Italian outfit have made a "shock enquiry" for the Manchester United midfielder.

The 18-year-old starlet is allegedly unhappy at the lack of game time under Alex Ferguson and wants to leave when his contract expires in six months' time. Talksport adds that the teenager has also made "unrealistic" demands over a new deal. Newcastle had a bid for Morrison knocked back last week but Talksport believes Roma might have more luck if they come up with a good price.

Portuguese rag Record says that Manchester City are keeping tabs on Benfica winger Nicolas Gaitan. Apparently the Sky Blues had scouts present on Wednesday to watch the Argentine in action in Benfica's 2-0 defeat of Santa Clara in the League Cup.

Manchester United have also been linked to the 23-year-old Gaitan, who joined the Portuguese club in 2010 from Boca Juniors. Though he’s contracted to Benfica until 2016, Gaitan is reported to have a €45m release clause in his contract. ·