Chelsea's Nicolas Anelka in talks with Shanghai Shenhua

 
Anelka's camp is discussing image rights with Shanghai Shenhua
 

Nicolas Anelka will decide whether to join Shanghai Shenhua on a three-year deal by the start of next week.

The Chelsea striker's camp is in talks with the Chinese Super League club, who are expected to bring former France midfielder Jean Tigana in as manager.
Neither club has revealed details about the transfer fee but discussions taking place between the player and the club include details on image rights.
Anelka was Avram Grant's first signing at Stamford Bridge in January 2008.

SPOTLIGHT ON SHENHUA

• Shanghai was the first football club in China that was independent from the government
• Well-known former players from Europe include Ruben Sosa, Carsten Jancker and Jorg Albertz
• Former Crystal Palace, Dundee and Cardiff player Fan Zhiyi began his career there in the mid-nineties
• Their Hongkou Stadium has a capacity of 35,000 and staged the final of the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup

The French striker, 32, joined in a £15m switch and has scored 59 goals in 185 appearances for the London club.
But he has fallen out of the first-team picture having scored only once in 15 games this season, with manager Andre Villas-Boas favouring Didier Drogba, Daniel Sturridge and Fernando Torres.
Anelka and Chelsea team-mate Alex were told by Villas-Boas last week that they will no longer train with the first-team squad after handing in transfer requests.
The striker would be a free agent next summer, allowing him to sign a pre-contract agreement with a club from January.
Shanghai Shenhua club chairman Zhu Jun is quoted in Shanghai Daily, saying: "We started to talk about every detail from the first minute of the negotiations. The whole contract is made up of details. It's comprehensive and complicated, involving the player's image and the commercial cooperation."
Media officer Ma Yue has confirmed: "There'll be news very soon. In five days, we'll definitely have news on whether it is yes or no."
Regarding the length of deal, Ma added: "In England or other European countries, his age might be considered quite advanced. But the football level is not as high here. We don't think it's any problem for him to play for another three years."

ANELKA'S £86.8m TRANSFERS

• Feb 97: Arsenal (£0.5m)
• Aug 99: Real Madrid (£22.3m)
• Jul 00: PSG (£22m)
• Jun 02: Man City (£12m)
• Jan 05: Fenerbahce (£7m)
• Aug 06: Bolton (£8m)
• Jan 08: Chelsea (£15m)

He also told Shanghai Daily that the club has held "deep talks" with Anelka's agent, his brother Claude.
According to Ma, the arrival of Tigana could be a factor in whether Anelka agrees terms. Tigana is expected in Shanghai next week and is planning to bring his own assistants.
The Chinese club was previously called Shanghai Football Club but, in 1993, was re-organised and became a professional football Club. Since then, they have won two titles but finished 11th out of 16 teams last season.
In May, Chelsea hired the agency ECN Management to market high-profile players in China and raise their global profile.