Nicolas Anelka is to try and make ex teammate Didier Drogba his first signing as player/manager for new club Shanghai Shenua….

Nicolas Anelka has confirmed his desire to sign his old Chelsea team-mate Didier Drogba after taking over as player-boss of Shanghai Shenhua.

Anelka moved to Shenhua in January and now finds himself in charge of the team after Jean Tigana was fired.

Source: teamtalk.com

Shanghai Shenhua’s new manager Nicolas Anelka has confirmed that he wishes to sign his former teammate when the transfer window opens this summer. Drogba’s contract with Chelsea is due to expire soon and, despite some impressive performances recently, it is unlikely that the London club will extend his contract.

Anelka recently confirmed that he would like to sign Drogba and former Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Selim Benachour, currently with Maritimo, this summer.

“I hope Selim Benachour and Didier Drogba will quickly join us,” he told Le Journal du Dimanche.

“I hope they do come. It is up to the club to see if we have the right means.”

Anelka moved to Shenhua in January, and following the recent dismissal of Jean Tigina has been announced as the club’s player/manager. Following the announcement, the Frenchman said of his new appointment:

“Jean Tigana? I don’t know what happened with the coach, but it looked like an impasse.”

“As usually I will take on, trying to seize that challenge, which is the greatest of my career. We start almost from scratch again.”

Anelka is a huge admirer of the English game, applying his trade with the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City and Liverpool; and the France international admits to having and “English philosophy to coaching.”

“I have been impressed by Carlo Ancelotti, Kevin Keegan, Arsene Wenger, Guus Hiddink, Christoph Daum and Sam Allardyce,” he said.

“I have also looked at Alex Ferguson and Harry Redknapp. I have a very English philosophy of coaching.”

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