Tottenham and West Ham in race for Nicolas Anelka

05:13 04/12/2013
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  • Nicolas Anelka’s increasingly calamitous spell in China could be about to end as London clubs West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur are said to be plotting a move for the striker.

    Anelka moved to Shanghai Shenhua in January, lured as much by a lucrative contract worth around £200,000 a week as the appeal of a new country.

    However, in a little over five months he has seen his manager and compatriot Jean Tigana sacked, himself promoted to player-coach, and then Sergio Batista appointed without his knowledge.

    “I’m not sure I can [accept a new coach],” he said at the time, apparently irritated that his old friend Jean-Florent Ikwange Ibenge didn’t get the job full time.

    “At least the club should have informed me at the time I was made manager… I think they don’t trust me.”

    To add considerable insult to injury, Anelka then had to partner with 45-year-old team owner Zhu Jun in attack in a recent friendly.

    Although there are rumours that Anelka’s former Chelsea colleague Didier Drogba will join him in Shanghai, it is thought Tottenham are leading the race to bring him back to the Premier League – not least as talks with Emmanuel Adebayor appear to have hit the buffers.

    However, newly promoted West Ham are also in the hunt. Sam Allardyce helped resurrect Anelka’s career at Bolton and is experience in the top level could be important to the Hammers’ survival chances.

    The much-travelled Anelka might be packing his bags again.

     

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