SPORTSMAIL EXCLUSIVE: If I'm buying one I might as well buy 40 ... Drogba panic buys his own replica shirts in bid to top the league table

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The Ivory Coast hitman has reportedly shelled out thousands of pounds for replica number 11 shirts in a bid to try and convince his team-mates he is just as much a crowd favourite as they are.

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Any takers? Didier Drogba is reported to be giving away his own replica shirts by the vanload

The £24 million striker was lagging in shirt sales behind the likes of John Terry and Frank Lampard who would often taunt him about it on the training ground.

One Chelsea insider claimed Drogba visits the club shop up to 10 times a week and on one occasion walked out of the store with 40 shirts each costing about £45 a pop - or £1,800 at one fell swoop.

The first-team regular could get all his shirts for free but the £70,000-a-week centre forward is shelling out the cash to force up his shirt sale stats.

A Stamford Bridge source revealed: "Dids is never out of the club shop. He is spending a fortune.

"He is on first name terms with the staff and is easily their best customer.

"The competition to be the most popular is massive and Didier hates losing.

"He has been buying loads of copies of his number 11 shirt and must be up there with the club's top sellers by now.

"Dids has been sending all his replica shirts to his mates back home."