Former Chelsea star Clive Walker believes that Didier Drogba will not play a big role for the club after returning on a one-year deal.

The Ivorian was yesterday announced as a Blues star, signing for the club for a second time after being released by Galatasaray earlier this summer.

Although a hero at Stamford Bridge, at 36-year-old’s arrival has been met by question marks from some, with the player himself now at the very back end of a long and successful career.

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With Chelsea aiming to challenge for the title, there is a worry that beyond Diego Costa – a relatively unproven new signing – Jose Mourinho will have a lack of options.

However, Walker feels that Drogba will make an impact at the club, even though he will have a bit part role:

“Drogba was a fantastic scorer and a great talisman for the club for eight years, but I don’t think you can look back on that now, it’s a new period in his career,” he told talkSPORT.

“It will remain to be seen if he starts many games next season, it will all depend on the fitness of Diego Costa, Fernando Torres and possibly Romelu Lukaku as well.

“But his own fitness will be a big factor. At 36, can he still produce at that level for 90 minutes?

"I think we can all agree that Drogba won’t be a starting player for Chelsea this season, but my initial feeling is, what a man to bring on with 20 minutes to go!

“He will give a huge boost to the team and the fans, he’ll lift the whole of Stamford Bridge when he enters the field.

“He’ll certainly still be a danger, there’s no doubt about that. If he’s in the penalty area and you put the balls in the box he will score goals. He’s still a gamechanger.

“He’s got that love for the football club, which will give him a huge lift and I’m sure he can raise his game to the necessary level to play for a club like Chelsea again.”

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