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We, like everybody else, thought Didier Drogba was off to China. But now it seems he might spend next season playing with Leo Messi instead.

Just last week, it was announced that Chelsea striker Didier Drogba, after winning the Champions League, was leaving the London club to join Nicolas Anelka at Chinese club Shangha Shenhua.

The Ivorian was set to earn €250,000 a week and he said at the time: 'I can inform you that I have signed with Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua for a two and a half year deal. I will fly out to join up with the squad in July.

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

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

Done deal then. Or so we thought until this morning when it has emerged that the big man might be off to the best team in the world instead.

Reports in Spain overnight suggested that the Chinese contract had a clause that allowed Drogba to join Barcelona, for free, if they were interested.

And it seems they are, with Drogba set to meet Barca officials today in Spain.

Not everyone is convinced the last-minute swoop will go ahead though.

Spanish football journalist Guillem Balague believes that the two sides are too far apart."Despite the meeting tomorrow, Barcelona club sources say they won't sign Drogba, wages too high," he said.

At 34, those Chinese wages are very high and it is hard to see Barca matching them but if they could get Drogba to negotiate down a bit we may just see Drogba’s muscularity added to the guile of the tika-taka masters.