The country with a population of over one billion appears to have just as many opinions on Shanghai Shenhua’s signing of Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka.
The deal, announced on Monday, will bring the 32-year-old Frenchman to the club for two years at a rumored salary of €12 million per year. And since that announcement, reactions have come from all corners.
“It’s a really big honour that I could be Anelka’s team-mate,” wrote Shenhua goalkeeper Wang Dalei on his Weibo [a Chinese Twitter-like service] account.
“Signing some big-name players is really important for Chinese football,” added retired German midfielder Jorg Albertz, who spent over a year in Shanghai following his time at Hamburg and Rangers.
“In the future, more older players may want to end their careers in China.”
Influential football journalist Yan Qiang noted that the veteran’s arrival in Shanghai could mean even more to Jun’s business ventures than it does for the club.
“Shanghai Shenhua didn’t sign Nicolas Anelka, [Zhu Jun-owned computer gaming operator and developer] The9 did.”
The company is expected to use Anelka to promote its highly-anticipated 2012 release FireFall both overseas and in China, which could lead to a massive financial windfall for the club’s chairman.
Meanwhile, players on other teams are already considering the difficulties they will face in stopping the former France international.
“It’s good that [a Chinese club] could sign Nicolas Anelka” wrote Shaanxi Renhe defender Sun Jihai, who played with the star at Manchester City.
“[Defending against Anelka] will be so difficult; nobody in the CSL can limit him. But football is a game about 11 players.”
Jihai’s comments received a response from none other than Zhu Jun himself on his personal Weibo account.
“I think Sun Jihai versus Nicolas Anelka is a good match-up,” wrote the millionare businessman.
“But if we put two Anelkas on the pitch, how will you defend against us?”
Jun is said to be pursuing another blockbuster signing, potentially involving Chelsea striker Didier Drogba or former Barcelona star Ronaldinho.
Meanwhile, debate raged between fans across China who argued the merits of the signing.
“Thank you Zhu Jun!” commented one forum poster. “I haven’t watched the Chinese Super League in a long time, but with Anelka’s arrival I would like to see it again.”
Meanwhile, rival supporters wondered if their clubs would respond in kind.
“How about buying some players from Real Madrid?” suggested one Guangzhou Evergrande fan. Meanwhile, a Beijing Guoan supporter believed that the only solution was to beat Shenhua to the punch.
“We need Didier Drogba!” he wrote.