Marseille mark Drogba
Marseille inquired about the availability of Chelsea striker Didier Drogba before finally settling on Brandao as their attacking recruit in the January transfer window.
Drogba, had a year at the Stade Velodrome in the 2003/04 campaign, was Marseille owner Robert Louis-Dreyfus' chief target this month.
But Louis-Dreyfus' audacious attempt to sign the player the Mediterranean side sold to Chelsea for around £24million in the summer of 2004 was quickly rebuffed by the Barclays Premier League giants.
"I called (Chelsea chief executive) Peter Kenyon to sound him out about Didier Drogba," Louis-Dreyfus told French daily L'Equipe.
"But they absolutely do not want to let him go."
Drogba has been axed from Chelsea's side to face Southend in the FA Cup tonight, becoming the first victim of Luiz Felipe Scolari's get-tough policy following their 3-0 mauling by Manchester United on Sunday.
The striker was a favorite when he was at Marseille, where he won France's Player of the Year award in his only season at the club.
Louis-Dreyfus also revealed that Atletico Madrid forward Sergio Aguero and Adriano, Inter Milan's Brazil international, were targets of his but admitted the high-profile pair were also out of Marseille's range.
Brandao should complete his move from Shakhtar Donetsk today once he passes a medical. The clubs agreed terms on the transfer.
Drogba dropped from FA clash vs. Southend
Didier Drogba has been sensationally axed from Chelsea's side to face Southend.
The Ivorian striker has not even travelled with the squad for their crucial FA Cup third round replay at Roots Hall.
Drogba has become the first victim of Luiz Felipe Scolari's get-tough policy following their 3-0 mauling by Manchester United on Sunday.
Scolari also delivered a scathing assessment of his side's trophy-winning capability and hinted at more major changes after giving his squad of highly-paid players enough opportunities to impress him since the summer.
Scolari clearly feels Drogba is a pale shadow of the player once feared by both Premier League and European defenses.
The Frenchman's apparent indifference on the pitch is in marked contrast to the eagerness of top scorer Nicolas Anelka who told Scolari he was unhappy at being left out of the starting line-up for their last three games.
Now Scolari appears to have made-up his mind and Drogba's days at Stamford Bridge look numbered.
The striker, linked with a transfer to Inter Milan, may now get his wish after Scolari's dropped him for a replay Chelsea cannot afford to lose.
"I have looked at many games with Anelka and I have looked at the last few games with Didier," said Scolari. "I have my opinion and I will put my opinion on the pitch every game.
"All the players have had their chance. I have given every player at least five or six games to impress.
"Now we will start with one team against Southend United, and maybe I will start with the same team against Stoke City. But I need answers from the players. I will give them their chance and I need answers.
"If I have given players only one chance then maybe some of the players will complain that they have only had one opportunity.
"But when I have given four or five chances then there is no room for questions, it is my decision to play this or that player, and finish.
"In last five games we play at 50% of our potential. No more than this. Some players have been at 75 to 80% while others have been at 35-40%. But the balance for our team in the last five games has been 50%.
"If you ask me if this team are ready to win things then no. They are not ready to win a trophy and they know this. They might not say things publicly but they know we are not ready.
"The players have been trying hard and I know that and I understand. It is difficult for the fans and people outside the club.
"Do you think that any player will go on the pitch in front of 75,000 people and not want to play? Never. Sometimes they make mistakes because they are not in a good condition but not because they do not want to play. If this happened then they would be finished. I am a good man but I am not a fool.
"I understand people now don't have a very good opinion about me because we lost a game 3-0 against Man Utd. I know this but in my opinion, I am doing a good job."
