Didier Drogba has added to the feeling that his departure from Chelsea is inevitable by describing the past six months as the worst of his career. The Ivory Coast striker has been troubled by injury and suspension since he was sent off in Chelsea’s Champions League final defeat by Manchester United in May and has yet to score in a leading competition this season.

In an interview recorded before his reported meeting with Inter Milan in London on Monday, Drogba openly admitted his unhappiness, without expressing a desire to leave. Inter Milan are expected to make a bid next summer and could get him for as little as £5 million, because he will have only one year remaining on his contract. “This has been the toughest six months of my career,” Drogba said.

“But I’ve been through difficult moments before, so I know how to get myself out of these. It’s been difficult, but I can’t lose and I won’t lose my happiness. It’s not possible. That’s what gives me the power on the pitch and the energy to score and to play.

“You always have to learn and I’m learning every day from different situations: from this coin situation, from the red card in the Champions League. I’m always learning.”

Massimo Moratti, the Inter president, suggested yesterday that the forward was keen to move to Italy. “I believe the desire [to move] is more from the player than anybody else,” he said. “I don’t know about the meeting, but I will get an explanation.”

Drogba is not thought to have any specific problems with Luiz Felipe Scolari, the Chelsea manager, although he is still close to José Mourinho, the Inter coach, and would relish the chance to work with him again. Rather, the 30-year-old resents being blamed for the Champions League final defeat. “It was very difficult because people said, ‘Ah, if he’d been on the pitch, he would have taken the fifth penalty and Chelsea would have won the game,’ ” he said.

“Even if I took this penalty, I could have missed it and then lose the game. It’s easy to say Drogba is guilty for the loss instead of saying that Chelsea were unlucky.”