By Our Online Team

16^th July 2012:

More than 300 fans gathered in Shanghai to welcome Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba on his much-anticipated arrival on Saturday, July 15, to play for Chinese Super League strugglers Shanghai Shenhua.

Drogba has signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with the big-spending club for a reported salary of $300,000 a week, ending weeks of speculation on his future after he announced his decision to leave Champions League winners Chelsea.

The 34-year old striker will join former Chelsea team mate Nicolas Anelka at the club struggling at the 13th spot in the 16-club Chinese Super League. Shanghai Shenhua is coached by former Argentina boss Sergio Batista.

Drogba’s fans arrived in the early hours of the morning at the Shanghai Pudong International Airport – many dressed in the club’s blue jersey bearing “Drogba 11”, and hope that the Drogba-Anelka strike force will change the club’s fortune.

“I believe that with his arrival, our results will improve significantly, because he has a good rapport with Anelka,” 23-year-old Zhu Hongbo said.  “Also, we have brought in a midfield player in (Giovanni) Moreno. I think for the second half of the year, our results will improve and we can be in the top three.”

Drogba’s arrival is the latest in a long list of high-profile names who have made the move to China in recent months. Italian World Cup winning coach Marcello Lippi is in charge of a Guangzhou Evergrande side packed full of skilful South American talent.

Drogba, who scored 157 times in 341 appearances for Chelsea, making him the club’s fourth all-time leading scorer, is the biggest catch of them all.  END.  Login to www.ugandacorrespondent.com every Monday to read our top stories mid-week for our updates

Follow us: Twitter: @UGCorrespondent

Follow us: Facebook: Uganda Correspondent