The 34-year-old decided to leave Chelsea when his contract expired at the end of last season.

Drogba has now agreed a two-and-a-half year contract with Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua.

"I have considered all the offers I have received in the past few weeks, but feel that Shanghai Shenhua FC is the right move for me at this time," said Drogba.

"I am looking forward to a new challenge, to experiencing a new culture, and excited about the new developments in the Chinese Super League.

"When Chelsea went to China last year, we had a great time and I met some amazing fans.

"I hope to help promote Chinese football around the world and further improve the links between China and Africa.'"

Zhu Jun, owner of Shanghai Shenhua FC, said: "We have been wanting to sign Didier for a while, and are very happy that it has finally happened.

"He is an incredible player, who has won so many trophies in his career, we feel that his experience and ability will be a very valuable asset to our squad.

"Shanghai is one of the most influential cities in the world, and we are very excited to welcome Didier here."