Didier Drogba sale could trigger £100m-worth of transfers

Didier Drogba holds the key to a £100m striker merry-goround.

The Chelsea forward is top of AC Milan's wanted list and the Italian giants are hopeful of completing a £18m deal.

The Blues will resist Milan's £18m bid for Drogba, holding out for nearer the £31m they paid to land Andriy Shevchenko from the San Siro side two years ago.

But with Milan also keen on bringing the Ukrainian striker back to Serie A, Chelsea will be willing to let both go - if they get Brazilian schemer Kaka in exchange.

Drogba's uncertain future has also put the brakes on moves involving Dimitar Berbatov, Karim Benzema, Samuel Eto'o and David Villa. Drogba, 30, is also wanted by Inter's former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho (below) and the Ivory Coast forward would love to hook up with his ex-manager again.

But AC Milan have also got Eto'o, Berbatov and Arsenal's Emmanuel Adebayor on their hit-list. However, AC Milan boss Carlo Ancelotti's preferred choice is Drogba and the Italians will wait on the Chelsea man until making moves for other strikers.

That has left Eto'o, Drogba, Benzema, Villa and Berbatov waiting for the green light on a £100m merry-go-round.

Berbatov, still likely to leave Tottenham this summer in a £30m deal, fancies a move to Real Madrid.

But yesterday France striker Benzema, 20, who could leave Lyon for £30m, indicated that he would prefer a move to Real Madrid rather than Manchester United.

Sir Alex Ferguson also likes Ajax's Dutch striker Klaas Jan Huntelaar who is valued at 315m. Should Berbatov go, Spurs will target Villa or Real Zaragoza forwards Diego Milito and Sergio Garcia.

Spurs have also looked at Barcelona's out-of-favour Eto'o but AC Milan will move for him if they fail to land Drogba, with Adebayor another option.