Chelsea star Didier Drogba could be on his way to Southern California to try and fill the spotlight vacated by David Beckham, though Major League Soccer champions Los Angeles Galaxy are not the only team in contention for the Ivorian's services.
Drogba's agent has revealed the 33-year-old striker has snubbed Chelsea's offer of a one-year contract extension, vowing to "go where he is offered the most money" after turning down a loan move to defending Italian champion AC Milan.
"LA Galaxy are a possibility among many others," Thierno Seydi, Drogba's agent, is quoted as saying in English tabloid newspaper The Sun.
The Galaxy are awaiting a decision from Beckham as to whether the 36-year-old star will sign a new deal to play in Los Angeles. The midfielder has been connected with a potential move to French Ligue 1 team Paris Saint-Germain.
Like Beckham, Drogba also looks set to change locations at the end of his current contract. Despite almost eight years in London, Drogba looks increasingly set to walk away from Stamford Bridge for nothing when his contract expires in June.
"Didier has had the offer of a one-year extension from Chelsea. That does not suit us," Seydi said.
"We know what we want, where we want to go and what offers we have.
"AC Milan came in for Didier on loan with an option to buy, but I said 'No' straight away. Their offer did not interest us.
"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. Once you are well into your thirties, you have to go to a club where you can be certain you'll be able to pay your bills."
Drogba has been with Chelsea since summer 2004. He moved to the West London-based club from Ligue 1 team Marseille. Since relocating to Stamford Bridge, Drogba has scored 146 goals in 257 appearances, collecting three Barclays Premier League titles along the way.
A two-time African Footballer of the Year, Drogba was the only soccer player recognized among Time Magazine's Top 100 most influential people in the world in 2010, an honor bestowed in part for Drogba having taken £3 million earned from a Pepsi endorsement to build a hospital in Abidjan in 2009.
Drogba moving to Los Angeles would be contingent on Beckham leaving. The Galaxy already have the maximum number of Designated Players permitted by MLS (three).
Designated Players allow MLS teams to sign players to high-value contracts with only a portion of the money counting against a team's salary cap. Beckham earned $6.5 million in 2011, with only $335,000 counting against the Galaxy's $2,677,500 salary cap.
Landon Donovan of the United States and the Republic of Ireland's Robbie Keane are the Galaxy's two other Designated Players.
