Former Chelsea forward Didier Drogba finally confirmed his next destination by announcing he will play for Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua.

Drogba decided to leave Chelsea after winning the Champions League title and was heavily linked with a move to the Chinese club for several months. The Ivorian confirmed his decision on Wednesday on his official website, and has signed a two-and-a-half year contract with the Chinese club, reportedly worth $315,000 a week. Drogba will link up with former Chelsea team-mate Nicolas Anelka at Shenhua, which is coached by Sergio Batista.

The 34-year-old said he was looking forward to experiencing a new culture. "I have considered all the offers I have received in the past few weeks, but feel that Shanghai Shenhua FC is the right move for me at this time.

"I am looking forward to a new challenge, to experiencing a new culture, and excited about the new developments in the Chinese Super League.

"When Chelsea went to China last year, we had a great time and I met some amazing fans.

"I hope to help promote Chinese football around the world and further improve the links between China and Africa."

Shanghai Shenhua owner Zhu Jun said he was happy to finally seal the deal for Drogba. "We have been wanting to sign Didier for a while, and are very happy that it has finally happened.

"He is an incredible player, who has won so many trophies in his career. We feel that his experience and ability will be a very valuable asset to our squad.

"Shanghai is one of the most influential cities in the world, and we are very excited to welcome Didier here."