Anelka targeting Drogba swoop

Shanghai Shenhua player-manager Nicolas Anelka is eyeing a swoop for Chelsea striker Didier Drogba.

The Frenchman moved to the Chinese club in January to take on a playing role but was recently promoted following the sacking of Jean Tigana.

And he has now admitted he hopes to raid his former club as well as attempting to bring in one of his countrymen from Portugal’s Maritimo.

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

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

As for his new job, Anelka has admitted that the influence of some of his own former managers convinced him to take the plunge into coaching, and noted that playing in the Premier League for much of his career has given him an English sensibility.

“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.”

The 33-year-old also conceded that he faced a difficult challenge in his first role as a manager, but says he was unaware of the specifics regarding his promotion.

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

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

“Florent Ibenge will take the daily training sessions. To assist us there will be Alioune Toure and Ian Walker for the keepers.”