Five Possible Detours for Drogba on His Way to China Didier Drogba's long exit from Chelsea, the team for which he secured its first European Cup last week, continues. He announced officially on Tuesday what we all knew: he's leaving London. Drogba told his teammates about his future while they were still celebrating their victory over Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League final on Saturday. "We spoke because they are my family and I cannot do anything without talking to them, without asking them," he said, adding, "I had to speak with them, because of everything we've shared the last few hours and the last eight years." In that time, Drogba scored 157 goals in 341 games. At age 34, he has showed that he is still capable of an emphatic score at the highest level. So why would he be headed to China, where the domestic league is rubbish and the game's popularity has been fueled almost more by gambling than competition? O.K., why, besides the reported $390,000 a week he's being offered to partner with his former Chelsea teammate Nicolas Anelka at Shanghai Shenhua? Drogba doesn't want to be a second-choice striker, and he doesn't want to spend more than half his time on the bench, with retirement more likely than a full 90 minutes week after week. Chelsea had been inclined to give Drogba a year extension, but he wanted two. That was when the China speculation started. And while Drogba would probably dominate in China, where Anelka has been named an assistant coach as well as team captain, is that really the best place for Drogba? There are a number of other clubs in far more competitive leagues where he could be of service. Here are a few suggestions, based on no actual knowledge of Drogba's desires or the clubs" intentions: Olympique Marseille Drogba played one season at Marseille, scoring 19 goals in Ligue 1, five in the Champions League and another six in the UEFA Cup. OM finished 10th in France this year, well out of European competition, and lost significant ground on its rivals. Can they afford the man that brought them £24 million when he was sold to Chelsea in 2004? Drogba would be available on a free transfer, so they'd save money there. And they are in desperate need of goals. The club scored only 45 goals all season and the only player to score in double digits for OM was Loic Remy, with 12. Fulham If Drogba wanted to stay in the Premier League, and he didn't want to leave London, there should be a welcome place for him at Craven Cottage. A move to Fulham isn't as onerous to someone who bleeds Chelsea blue as a shift to Arsenal or Tottenham, genuine rivals. But Fulham has enough fight and enough ambition that it could continue to test Drogba's competitiveness. And Fulham need a scorer. The only player to net double-digit goals (22 in all competitions) last season was the American Clint Dempsey. And he still hasn't signed a contract extension (he's on the books for one more season) and could be headed to a bigger club, like Liverpool. Though Drogba lacks Dempsey's durability and, perhaps, some of his invention, his experience is valuable. And he's opportunistic in front of goal. He'd be better than Bobby Zamora was and could partner Pavel Pogrebnyak. But would Dempsey have to go for Fulham to be able to afford Drogba's salary demands? Vancouver Whitecaps A Major League Soccer club is not likely to pay anywhere near what Shanghai Shenhua will be able to splash out, even with designated player money. But the level of play will arguably be better and is much more suited to Drogba's considerable strengths: power, physicality, aerial ability. And though Drogba might have slowed a step overall, his explosiveness in short bursts has held up. And that describes M.L.S.: slow over all, with short bursts of explosiveness. Vancouver is nearly competitive with the top teams. The Whitecaps are in fourth place in the West, but they have scored only 12 goals in 11 games. The team's leading goal scorers this season are Camilo, the Brazilian midfielder, and forward Sebastian Le Toux, who have scored three apiece, and forward Eric Hassli, who has two. Drogba would most likely finish more than either Le Toux or Hassli, and could partner with either Frenchman (and would be able to communicate well). Seattle, another member of the Pacific Northwest M.L.S. triumvirate, could use some goal-scoring punch to go from near the top to the top. Freddy Montero deserves a better partner than the flameout Eddie Johsnon or the relatively inexperienced David Estrada. Botafogo Why would Drogba go to Brazil, where the current domestic championship has just gotten off to an underwhelming start? And why go to a club that outpaces all others in the debt it has incurred. Admittedly, it's a head scratcher. But hear me out: The Rio club, which won its opener, 4-2, over Sao Paulo last weekend, has shown some ambition by pursuing still capable 30-something players from Europe after finishing ninth last season. The club's leading goal scorer was Sebastian Abreu, the 35-year-old Uruguayan striker. Drogba is better than Abreu. And while Drogba might not have the individual skillfulness that's prized in Brazil, he's more than capable of a few well timed quick steps and deft touches on the ball. He could start and be a popular player for the club. And Brazil has been good for other aging players exiting Europe's top leagues. After leaving Inter Milan in 2009, Adriano picked up with Flamengo and scored 19 goals in 30 games. It didn't exactly last for him but Ronaldinho scored 14 goals for Flamengo last season after leaving A.C. Milan. And the forward Luis Fabiano (who has the all-time best Twitter handle in soccer) scored six goals in 10 games when he returned to Sao Paulo after almost seven years in Portugal and Spain. Of course, they're all Brazilian. Would Drogba, an Ivorian who grew up for years in France, be comfortable in Brazil? The weather is better than in England, that's for sure. Corner kick: Where should Drogba go now that he has left Chelsea? Or are the Chinese millions to good to pass up?