Celtic were once really close to signing Didier Drogba only for their own player, Momo Sylla, to deny them the chance.
Martin O’Neill was looking for another striker to add to his trusted ranks in 2002 that featured Henrik Larsson, Chris Sutton and John Hartson.
Drogba was playing for Guingamp at the time but was intrigued by the Hoops project and reached out to his close friend Sylla to get the lowdown about moving to Glasgow, but was delivered a harsh truth.
- READ MORE: How one of Celtic’s greatest players announced himself to the Hoops against Aberdeen in 1982
What is the one player you wish that Celtic had signed?
Momo Sylla said Celtic had better strikers than Didier Drogba
Not signing Drogba will always be one of those ‘what if’ moments as we all know how the Ivory Coast international went on to do in his career.
He is renowned as one of the best strikers in Premier League history, but Sylla told him at the time that he would have no chance of getting into the side.
Recalling the failed transfer in 2012, he told SunSport: “It’s true. Didier could have become a Celtic player.”
“We are best friends. He is like a brother to me. The year after I signed for Celtic he was really interested. Didier said to me ‘Do you think I could join too?’.
“He was 24 and playing for Guingamp at that point, but he was still developing as a player.
“Didier would have joined Celtic for £10,000 per month back then. In fact, he would have signed for free.
“But I was honest with him. Celtic had Henrik Larsson, Chris Sutton and John Hartson — three world-class strikers, “I didn’t think Didier would get in the team and I told him that.”
The Chelsea hero can be added to the list that also features high-profile names like Zlatan Ibrahimovic that could have ended up at Parkhead, only for a move to never materialise.
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
