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Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers will make an extraordinary SOS call to Didier Drogba in a bid to sign the former Chelsea striker on a short-term deal, writes The People.

Drogba, 34, could be available to join a club in Europe as soon as the Chinese season ends next week. His club Shanghai Shenhua are believed to be willing to rip up his contract, making Drogba a free agent and releasing him for a move back to the Premier League, on the understanding that he is welcome back in China for their new season.

If all goes well Drogba also has an option to sign a longer-term agreement at Anfield.

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Rodgers knows Drogba from his time as a Chelsea coach and is desperate for strikers, with Luis Suarez his only fit senior frontman.

Liverpool are also confident of signing unsettled Newcastle striker Demba Ba in January – but Drogba could be arriving even sooner.

Drogba’s family still live in Surrey, while there is financial uncertainty at Shenhua which means he is by no means certain to play for them again when the Chinese season starts again next March.

The player wants to maintain match sharpness ahead of representing Ivory Coast at the African Nations Cup in South Africa in January and February.

An initial two-month deal could be struck to take him to Liverpool until the New Year.

Drogba quit Chelsea in May after scoring the winning penalty in the Champions League Final shoot-out.

His £250,000-a-week deal for the second half of the current Chinese season, has also been agreed for next year’s campaign – but a break clause was inserted in that agreement.

Liverpool owner John W Henry claimed the club were not interested in expensive short-term options after the conclusion of a disastrous summer window, which saw Andy Carroll go out on loan.

But Rodgers will explain to him that Drogba would be an outstanding option for the next two months, with Fabio Borini out until the New Year with a broken foot.

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