Shanghai Shenhua swoop for Senegal striker Ba

Shanghai Shenhua have completed the signing of former Chelsea striker Demba Ba.

The Chinese Super League side signed Mali international Mohamed Sissoko on Thursday and have now followed that up by swooping for Ba, who had been heavily linked with a return to the Premier League with West Brom. 

Ba joins after spending just one season with Besiktas in Turkey, following his exit from Stamford Bridge in July last year.

The Senegal international scored 27 goals in 44 appearances for the Turkish Super Lig club and will look to have a similar impact for a Shenhua team struggling in the CSL.

Shenhua are 11 in the league ahead of Sunday’s clash with rock-bottom city rivals Shanghai Shenxin, with just five wins from their first 15 games. 

Ba – who will arrive in China on Sunday – made the move to Chelsea in January 2013 following a prolific spell with Premier League rivals Newcastle United.

The 30-year-old, who has also had spells with Hoffenheim and West Ham, follows in the footsteps of another former Chelsea forward, Didier Drogba, who scored eight goals in 11 appearances in a brief spell with Shenhua in 2012.