Chelsea Striker, Didier Drogba To Join Anelka At Shanghai Shenhua

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba is on his way out of Stamford Bridge in the summer to join Chinese Super League team Shanghai Shenhua, according to The Guardian.

The striker's contract with the Blues expires at the end of the season, and it is thought the Ivorian is seeking a two-year extension, but the club is only willing to offer an additional 12 months.

Former Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka joined the Shanghai club at the end of last year on a deal thought to be worth roughly 200,000 pounds-a-week, but a move for Drogba is expected to top that, with his deal potentially reaching 270,000 pounds.
The Ivory Coast star is currently representing his country at the African Cup of Nations and the Blues are thought to be unwilling to sell him in the current transfer window, but are powerless to prevent him from settling a pre-contract agreement with foreign clubs.

The former Marseille star was the Premier League's top scorer as Chelsea won the double in 2010 under Carlo Ancelotti, but he has struggled for goals this season, netting just 6 times in 17 appearances.

Shanghai finished 11th in China's 16-team top flight last season, but have added French manager Jean Tigana as well as Anelka for the upcoming season.

"It's like flirting with a girl," said Zhu Jun, the club's spokesman on Weibo, the Chinese equivalent of Twitter.

"Perhaps she will resist you at first, but if you continue to ask her out, it always ends well. Never give up."

The Chinese Super League has swiftly emerged as one of the World's richest leagues with wages exploding in recent years. Former Argentinian Under-20 international Dario Conca reportedly became the third-best paid player in the world, behind Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Samuel Eto'o at Anzhi Makachkala, when he joined Guangzhou Evergrande from Fluminense.

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