Scared off but the wage demands of Didier Drogba, Juventus have gone with a cheaper former Chelsea striker, signing Nicolas Anelka on loan from Shanghai Shenhua for the rest of the season. Anelka is reported to be getting paid €600,000 for five months, plus performance-related bonuses and an option to extend for another year.
Juventus’s general manager, Beppe Marotta, told Sky Sport Italia that the 33-year-old former France international would help solve an “emergency” situation in attack.
“It can be a good move for the short term, then at the end of the season we’ll evaluate what must be done,” he said. “He is filling a hole. It is a five-month contract with an option for the second season, if things go well. Anelka’s arrival rules out any other transfers because in this stage of the transfer window there are no other opportunities.”
Juventus have been desperate the improve the quality of their forwards for 18 month now and last week reached an agreement to sign the Fernando Llorente on a four-year deal, although he will remain with Athletic Bilbao until the end of the season.
Anelka brings a great CV with him to Turin, having played for Real Madrid, Chelsea and Arsenal previously. But at 33, I wonder if Anelka still has the pace the ability that Juventus are looking for?