Jose Mourinho has said that he demanded Roman Abramovich must buy Didier Drogba when the Chelsea owner questioned who the striker was back in 2004.
According to the Portuguese, he said to the Russian billionaire: "Pay, and don't speak."
Chelsea signed Drogba from Ligue 1 side Marseille, and he went on to lead the line at Stamford Bridge for the next eight years, the Blues' most successful period in their history.
Mourinho re-signed the Ivorian in his second spell in charge at Chelsea in 2014, but he explained that first time around he was questioned about Drogba by Abramovich, per beIN Sports (h/t Tom Doyle of the Evening Standard):
"Drogba is the kind of guy who is so loyal that he never forgot that I took him from Marseille to the Premier League, where he was not even expected, because he didn't start very young at that level.