Arsenal eye Didier Drogba as Shanghai Shenhua face plight

ARSENAL want to prise Didier Drogba away from Shanghai Shenhua.

The Gunners are desperate to find a proven scorer to replace Robin van Persie.

And they have made enquiries with the Chinese club to see if there is a way of bringing the striker, 34, back to London.

The Gunners are aware of internal upheaval at Shanghai where Drogba and ex-Chelsea team-mate Nicolas Anelka have been caught up in a boardroom power struggle.

Drogba — believed to be on £200,000 a week — had been linked with a shock switch to Liverpool.

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho, who took the hitman to Stamford Bridge in 2004, also kept an eye on the Ivorian during the summer transfer window.

Meanwhile, sources close to Juventus have confirmed their increased interest in Arsenal winger Theo Walcott, 23.

But the Italian giants are only willing to pay £10million.

An insider said: “Juve have been interested in Walcott for some time but we are coming to the decisive moment.”