On 19 June 2012, Drogba declared he would be joining Chinese Super League side Shanghai Shenhua, also joining his former Chelsea teammate Nicolas Anelka.

The official websites of Shanghai Shenhua and Chelsea also confirmed this transfer later on the same day.

Throughout the 1990s the Chinese football association were demanding more professionalism from their football teams and while many were semi-professional Shanghai would be one of the first when they gathered sponsorship from Yu Zhifei and the local company named Shenhua ( Shenhua also means " flower of Shanghai " in Chinese ) on 10 December 1993 founding Shanghai Shenhua football team.

Lu Jun and Zhang Jianqiang were both officially charged with match-fixing, and it was also discovered that the Shenhua General manager Lou Shifang also paid Zhang Jianqiang 350, 000 Yuan ; despite this indiscretion, however, the club was spared any disciplinary action.

He would also be named as the clubs captain and would immediately settle in the teams defence where he was partnered with his previous team mate from Shenhua, Ng Wai Chiu and help guide the club to their best ever league position of fourth and a chance to play in the AFC Champions League for the first time.

Shenhua Group completed a trial run in mid-2009, and achieved stable operation in November 2010 of their 1. 08 million ton per year ( roughly ) direct coal liquefaction plant ( Erdos CTL ) in Ejin Horo Banner in north China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

Shenhua eventually intends to expand the facility to 5 million tons per year ( roughly ).

Shenhua Group recently reported that their direct coal liquefaction process is competitive with oil prices above $ 60 per barrel.

In September 2011, Shenhua reported profitable operation of its new CTL plant during the first half of the year 2011.

He scored two more goals on 25 August, both set up by Anelka, as Shenhua drew 3 – 3 with Shandong Luneng.

In January 2009 Shanghai Shenhua made Chinese football history by becoming the first Chinese team to hire a foreign C. E. O.

SAFFC were drawn in a group with J. League champions Kashima Antlers, K. League champions Suwon Samsung Bluewings and Chinese Super League runners-up Shanghai Shenhua, and despite being confirmed as the group losers after a 5 – 0 loss to Kashima Antlers in Japan, they managed to win their first ever point in the competition with a 1 – 1 draw against Shanghai Shenhua at home.

Although they did not make proceed beyond the group phase, they did finish 2nd in the group, beating both Shanghai Shenhua and Kashima Antlers.

The club changed its name to Shanghai Shenhua SVA SMEG Football Club ( SFC ).

The team however is unique as it still retains " Shenhua " in its name, whereas many other teams drop the name of their former sponsors completely.

Shenhua, a Chinese coal mining company, decided in 2002 to build a direct liquefaction plant in Inner Mongolia, with barrel capacity of.

Du Wei started his professional football career in 2000 playing for third tier football club Shanghai Cable 02 where he was able to play in central defence or defensive midfield before the club were taken over by top tier club Shanghai Shenhua in 2002.

After his recession as head coach of the Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team signed one day later on 12 December 2009 for Shanghai Shenhua.

On 13 March 2009, Rodić was loaned out to Shanghai Shenhua of the Chinese Super League.

On 18 February 2009, 33-year old Aloisi was linked with a loan move to Shanghai Shenhua F. C.

Back at Shanghai Shenhua would continue to command a regular starting place within the team and would eventually become the teams captain by the 2008 league season, however after a disappointing 2009 campaign where Shenhua finished in fifth the club were willing to listen for offers on him.

The Shenmue tree resides in the same small village ( Bailu, which is located in Guilin ) that spawned both Shenhua and the game's stone mirrors.

* Guilin is the final area of the video game Shenmue II and the home of Shenhua.

# China Shenhua Energy: $ 636. 23

Wilkinson briefly returned to management in March 2004, taking charge of Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua on a short term contract, but left two months later due to personal reasons.

* Zhuang Zi: Daoist philosopher of the Warring States Period, associated with the piece Zhuang Zhou Mengdie and Shenhua Yin.

Didier Yves Drogba Tébily (; born 11 March 1978 ) is an Ivorian footballer who plays as a centre forward for Shanghai Shenhua.

Drogba played with Giovanni Moreno and his former Chelsea teammate Nicolas Anelka at Shanghai Shenhua.

On 22 July, Drogba made his debut for Shanghai Shenhua in a 1 – 1 away draw against Guangzhou R & F, coming on as a substitute for Brazilian defender Moisés in the second half.

This resulted in attention from clubs in the Chinese Super League, and ultimately in a move to Shanghai Shenhua along with Honduran player Emil Martinez.

Nicolas Sébastien Anelka () ( born 14 March 1979 ) is a French footballer who is currently a player and assistant manager of Shanghai Shenhua.

On 12 December 2011, Shanghai Shenhua announced that they have reached an agreement with Anelka to join the team when the winter transfer window opens.

On 12 December, Chelsea confirmed that Anelka would head to the Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua.

" Zhu Jun, owner of Shanghai Shenhua, confirmed that they had sealed a deal with Anelka in his weibo on 12 December.

Anelka played with Giovanni Moreno and his former Chelsea teammate Didier Drogba at Shanghai Shenhua.

On 1 January 2012, Anelka moved to the Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua.

His annual salary at Shanghai Shenhua was reported to be around € 12 million.

Following his move to the club, Anelka revealed that he turned down the chance to join his former club Paris Saint-Germain the previous month in favour of signing for Shanghai Shenhua and explained that his move was because he did not have attractive offers to remain within Europe.

On 19 June 2012, it was confirmed that Anelka's former Chelsea-teammate Didier Drogba would join Shanghai Shenhua.

On 7 June 2012 it was claimed that Anelka was keen on a move back to the Premier League after he was involved in a heated exchange with a fan for refusing to bow in front of the travelling Shenhua fans with his fellow team-mates.

Anelka provided two assists for Drogba and headed in a late equalizer to earn Shenhua a point in a 3-3 draw with Shandong Luneng on 25 August.

Category: Shanghai Shenhua F. C.