Drogba has not made a competitive start for the Ivorians since early 2008

Didier Drogba has been called up to Ivory Coast's squad for next week's friendly against Turkey in Ankara.

The Chelsea striker has made just one appearance for the Elephants in the last year - a friendly against Israel in Tel Aviv in November.

Drogba has struggled for form and fitness since the Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana.

He will, however, be hoping to make an impression on the international stage ahead of crucial upcoming qualifiers.

The final round of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup and Nations Cup gets underway at the end of March, with the Ivorians facing Guinea, Burkina Faso and Malawi.

Other English-based players to receive a call-up by to coach Vahid Halilhodzic's squad include Arsenal's Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Eboue and Tottenham Hotspur's Didier Zokora.

Ivory Coast squad:

Goalkeepers

Boubacar Barry (Lokeren), Aristide Zogbo (FC Shorta)

Defenders

Guy Roland Demel (Hamburg), Emmanuel Eboue (Arsenal), Steve Gohouri (Borussia Monchengladbach), Souleman Bamba (Hibernian), Kolo Toure (Arsenal), Siaka Tiene (Valenciennes), Etienne Arthur Boka (Stuttgart)

Midfielders

Didier Zokora (Tottenham), Yaya Toure (Barcelona), Koffi Romaric N'Dri (Sevilla), Jean-Jacques Gosso (AS Monaco), Kouamatien Emmanuel Kone (FC Cluj), Emerse Fae (Nice)

Forwards

Kouassi Gervais Yao (Le Mans), Abdul Kader Keita (Olympique Lyonnais), Didier Drogba (Chelsea), Boubacar Sanogo (Hoffenheim), Sekou Cisse (Roda JC), Bakari Kone (Olympique Marseille)

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