PARIS: FIFA have turned down a request from Ivorian striker Didier Drogba to be allowed to leave Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua on loan to a European club ahead of the transfer window.
Drogba, who has been linked with a short-term move back to former club Chelsea before the start of the Chinese league in a bid to build fitness for the African Nations Cup in January, had put in a request to the world governing body.
FIFA said in a statement: “We can confirm that the player Didier Drogba submitted a request for authorisation to be registered outside an open registration period for a club on a loan basis.
“FIFA has informed him about the relevant regulations... that players may only be registered during one of the two annual registration periods fixed by the relevant association.”AFP
