China's Shanghai Shenhua next team for well-traveled Anelka

SHANGHAI (AP) -- Shanghai Shenhua says it has reached a deal with Chelsea for striker Nicolas Anelka to join the Chinese Super League club.

The club said Monday in a brief statement that the French striker would join the team when the transfer window opens in January.

No other details were immediately given, but French sports daily L'Equipe, without citing sources, said last week that Shenhua had offered the 32-year-old euro10.6 million ($14.2 million) per season for two seasons.

Chelsea has said Anelka can leave in January after four years at the London club, having fallen out of favor under new coach Andre Vilas-Boas, dropping behind Didier Drogba, Fernando Torres and Daniel Sturridge in the pecking order of forwards.

The much-traveled Anelka joined Chelsea from Bolton in January 2008. His previous clubs included Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Fenerbahce, Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal.

Shenhua spokesman Ma Yue said Friday that the team will probably announce this week the arrival of Jean Tigana as coach.

The former France midfielder, who won the European Championship alongside Michel Platini in 1984, previously managed at Bordeaux, Lyon, Monaco, Fulham and Besiktas.

He visited Shanghai in November and inspected Shenhua's facilities, Ma said. Tigana last week contacted France's national union of managers to ask about assistants who could join him in China.

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