Demba Ba: Former Chelsea star looking for new club to ‘find joy’

Former Chelsea striker Demba Ba has revealed he is searching for a new club where he can find joy again.

The 35-year-old is a free agent after his contract with Turkish Super Lig champions Istanbul Basaksehir was terminated last month.

The forward made more than 60 appearances during his two-year stay at Fatih Terim Stadium, helping them to clinch the 2019-20 Super Lig title.

Ba, who played for a number of clubs during his career, spanning England, France, Germany, Belgium, China and Turkey, is hoping to secure a club soon.

"I just want to enjoy my football for the last couple of years and find joy again," Ba told Sky Sports.

"I would say there have been some things that have taken the joy of football away more or less over the last few years but I'm a lover of the game and want to finish on a very good note.

"England could be an option but I'm not stuck on one country, one division or league - I'm just waiting to see what will come.

"It may end in another league, another country but I will make the best decision for myself and my family.

"I would have loved to have two careers - one where I just travelled the world and visited countries, cultures and learnt about people because I love to do that.

"But then I would have loved another where I stayed at one club for 10, 12, 15 years because it's special to do something like that.”

At 35, the forward has started preparing for life after his retirement and revealed how he intends to help players develop cognitively, which he believes will impact their performances positively.

"I've been thinking about my own career and how I made it and the things I experienced," he added.

"I wasn't in football academies growing up and started playing professional very late. At the age of 18, I was playing in Sunday Leagues and nearly quit.

"But I managed to make it because I had people who believed in me and worked with me at the time. So I've started to focus on the cognitive perspective of players alongside the physical and technical side of the game.

"Sometimes the difference between making it is a player with a lot of confidence and one without much so my aim is to unlock the brain in the best possible way to achieve tremendous results.

"I strongly believe in life we are told we are not made for certain things and the truth is I don't think we are all born with talent but the way we are brought up, educated and developed brings about those qualities.

"I believe there are hundreds of youth players and other players who could benefit because the moment the brain is unlocked then everything will flow.

"I have already been introduced to various experts in neuro-psychology who is also interested in the project and I also have a meeting with my old coach Ralf Rangnick on it.

"When the development programme is ready, I will implement it in a club and work with the players to see the results and take it from there."