Shanghai Shenhua to sign Anelka on 2-year deal

SHANGHAI - Shanghai Shenhua have reached an agreement with Chelsea to sign French striker Nicolas Anelka on a two-year deal, the Chinese Super League soccer side said on Monday.

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The 32-year-old will join Shenhua in January, the club said in a statement on its website.

Chelsea confirmed in a statement that they had "agreed terms for the permanent transfer of Nicolas Anelka in the January transfer window."

Shanghai, who finished 11th in the league last season, have also been linked with Didier Drogba, Anelka's team mate at the English Premier League side.

Several Chinese clubs have reportedly contacted Cote d'Ivoire international Drogba about a possible transfer. Last month Drogba refused a one-year extension to his contract at Chelsea and the 33-year-old's deal at the London club expires next year.

Local media have reported that former Arsenal and Real Madrid striker Anelka's lucrative contract would involve both soccer and commercial co-operation.

While the signing of Anelka may signal an upswing for the sport in the country, Chinese soccer has lurched from crisis to crisis in recent years and disaffected fans have turned away from the game amid corruption scandals, match-fixing and violence on and off the pitch.

The national team has qualified for the World Cup finals only once when they played in the 2002 edition held in South Korea and Japan but lost all their group matches and failed to score a goal.

In January, they exited the 16-team Asian Cup at the first hurdle after finishing third in their group behind Uzbekistan and hosts Qatar.

Anelka scored 59 goals for Chelsea since arriving from Bolton Wanderers in January 2008.

A picture of Nicolas Anelka from the official website of Shanghai Shenhua Football Club.

Several Chinese clubs have reportedly contacted Cote d'Ivoire international Drogba about a possible transfer. Last month Drogba refused a one-year extension to his contract at Chelsea and the 33-year-old's deal at the London club expires next year.

Local media have reported that former Arsenal and Real Madrid striker Anelka's lucrative contract would involve both soccer and commercial cooperation.

While the signing of Anelka may signal an upswing for the sport in the country, Chinese soccer has lurched from crisis to crisis in recent years and disaffected fans have turned away from the game amid corruption scandals, match-fixing and violence on and off the pitch.

The national team has qualified for the World Cup finals only once when they played in the 2002 edition held in South Korea and Japan but lost all their group matches and failed to score a goal.

In January, they exited the 16-team Asian Cup at the first hurdle after finishing third in their group behind Uzbekistan and hosts Qatar.

Anelka was also a regular starter for the French national team, who plays as a striker. Former Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has described him as a quick player with good aerial ability, technique, shooting, and movement off the ball.

France's Nicolas Anelka kicks the ball between Wang Qiang (L) and Du Wei (R) of China during their friendly soccer match at Michel Volnay stadium on the French overseas territory of La Reunion, in this file photo taken June 4, 2010. [Photo/Agencies]

Factbox on French football player Anelka

Personal information

Full name: Abdul-Salam Bilal (Nicolas Sébastien Anelka)

Date of birth: March 14, 1979

Place of birth: Versailles, France

Height: 1.85 m

Playing position: Striker

Club information

National team experiences

Chelsea's Fernando Torres (2nd R) celebrates his goal against KRC Genk with Nicolas Anelka (R), Ashley Cole (L) and Raul Meireles (2nd L) during their Champions League Group E soccer match at Stamford Bridge in London, Oct 19, 2011. [Photo/Agencies]