Warnock could have signed Chelsea legend for just £100k and rues not chasing tip off

Legendary manager Neil Warnock has revealed that he could have snapped up the Premier League icon for just £100,000 during his early days at Le Mans after an incredible tip off from a player.

Warnock, who broke the record for the most games managed in English professional football in December last year, joined the talkSPORT Breakfast and revealed he could have signed the Ivorian when he was Sheffield United boss in the early 2000s.

Asked if he'd ever been haunted after missing out on a player during his career, Warnock said: "I think every manager has, really.

"Just thinking about it now, usually it's a striker.

"One of the main ones early on in my career. I had a French lad playing for me, Laurent D'Jaffo, and he once rang me and said: 'Gaffer, I've seen player for you in the second division in France, very good, £100,000.'

"I said: '£100,000? It's a lot for a second division French player.'

"I then said: 'What's his name?' and he said 'Drogba'.

"I said 'we can't pay £100,000 for a second division French player'. But you all know what happened to him in the end!

"That's my biggest. I don't think I could have had a bigger loss than that one."

Drogba, however, would go on to become one of Jose Mourinho's first signings following his arrival at Stamford Bridge in 2004.

The Portuguese was adamant that he only wanted to work with the Ivorian and famously told Abramovich to shut up and fund the deal without asking questions.

The owner obliged and forked out £24m to bring Drogba to the Bridge.

The African marksman, as we all know, blossomed into one of the greatest strikers in Premier League history.

He hit 164 goals in all competitions and led Chelsea to 2012 Champions League glory almost single-handedly.