The Turkish club Galatasaray have made an official bid for the former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba, who is currently playing for the Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua.

It is expected that Drogba will be joining the Turkish club on a season-long loan deal, which could be converted into a permanent one in the summer. Drogba is regarded as one of the best strikers in the world, and he has found several interested parties even at 34 years of age. There have been suggestions that his former club Chelsea even tried to get him back before the bid from Galatasaray.

Drogba is keen to leave China after finding that he is still good enough to play in the top European competitions, with growing numbers of punters having a bet on premier league winner's Manchester City coming in with a bid for him.

The 34-year-old helped Chelsea lift the Champions League title only a few months ago. He is currently with the Ivory Coast national team as part of the 2013 African cup of nations. Drogba has been subjected to interest from the likes of Chelsea and Juventus in the last few months. Now, Galatasaray have also joined in the hunt for the striker, who is keen to return to Europe. The Turkish club only recently brought in the Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder, and the arrival of Drogba could herald a new era at the club.

The 34-year-old has been at the Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua for the last six months. He has managed to score eight goals in the 11 appearances he has made for the club. Chelsea were the first to register an interest in the player due to the poor form of Fernando Torres. However, they were initially blocked by FIFA because they tried to get him when the transfer window was not open. Drogba will be hoping to seal a return to Europe in the remaining few days of the transfer window.