Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua have managed to sign Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka after holding discussions with the French striker in the past few weeks.

Even though there were many clubs courting the French striker, Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua believed that they could land the striker, who is set to become the marketing franchise over the next few years. The exact transfer fee Shanghai Shenhua paid to Chelsea is not clear yet, but it is unlikely to be in the region of many million pounds like Chelsea paid originally to acquire his services back in 2008.

Nicolas Anelka hopes the first signing for then manager Avram Grant, and he arrived for a fee of £15 million from Bolton. After making nearly 200 appearances for Chelsea, Nicolas Anelka once again is on the move – this move counting as his ninth. He started his career in 1999 with Arsenal, but was soon transferred to Real Madrid when he became one of the world's costliest teenagers at £ 22 million. Since then, he has played for the likes of PSG, Manchester City, Liverpool, Bolton, and Fenerbahce. It is highly likely that Shanghai Shenhua will be the last club for Nicolas Anelka, as the 32-year-old striker is coming to the end of this career.

"It's like with the opening up of China. We needed to bring in the good stuff from foreign countries for us to learn from. The benefits Anelka brings to the club are obvious. Firstly it will definitely increase the squad's attacking capability," Shanghai Shenhua director Zhu Jun after completing the signing of the high-profile striker from Chelsea. It has also been revealed that the club are also looking to sign Didier Drogba, who is out of contract in the summer. Nicolas Anelka is on a £ 6 million per year contract at Shanghai Shenhua.