It's literally a banner day in Shanghai

SHANGHAI - Jeremy Lin isn't the only topic of conversation among Chinese sports fans anymore.

The reason is simple - Nicolas Anelka finally arrived in Shanghai for the coming Chinese Super League season.

Fans of Shanghai Shenhua have been waiting anxiously for the arrival of the league's biggest import, hoping the French striker will help the club restore its luster.

A week before the return of Shenhua players from training in Spain, members of Shanghai BlueBoys Supporters Club, one of the club's largest fan associations, began preparing a large banner decorated with a portrait of the French star.

"We planned to show (Anelka) a warm welcome," said Li Hui, the club's deputy director, adding that the project took eight days to complete.

"Two artists tested several drafts before they started pencil sketches and painting," she said. "We hope he likes it."

Anelka's itinerary was confidential, so most of the Shenhua fans didn't get the chance to greet him at the airport on Wednesday. But Li said they have continued to try various approaches to reach out to him.

"We left messages on Anelka's Facebook account and told him we were making a banner for him," Li said. "It's not easy to log on to the website in China - we had to use special software to access it. We even typed it in French to make sure he could understand."

Xu Feng, the head of another big fan association in Shanghai called Blue Devil, said on Wednesday that members are looking forward to the star's debut.

"We all thought it impossible when word started to spread that Anelka would join Shanghai Shenhua. We thought the club's executives were spreading a smoke screen," Xu said.

But when the news turned out to be true late last year, "everyone turned very excited and happy", he said.

"The best approach to send him regards is to let him feel our enthusiasm on the field. Blue Devil will organize thousands of fans to cheer him on, and we will prepare special banners for him."

To make sure Anelka feels at home in Shanghai, the club began gearing up for his arrival two months ago.

According to Ma Yue, the club's press official, Shenhua offered several accommodation choices to Anelka, including a serviced apartment, a hotel and an independent villa.

For other foreign players, the club has only offered service apartments near the club's suburban training center or in flats near Gubei the past two seasons.

"For the initial days, Anelka will live in a hotel, and in the following two days he will decide where to dwell," Ma told Youth Daily, a local newspaper, on Tuesday. "Issues such as accommodations have already been written in the contract."

He said Anelka's allowance for accommodation is sufficient to cover the cost even if he chooses to live in a five-star hotel for the long term.

Ma also said the dining hall at the team's Kangqiao training center began renovations late last year to allow for a more Western menu. "Salads and steaks are popular among overseas players, and these will be included in the club's dining hall," Ma said.

Ma ruled out the possibility of arming Anelka with a special nutrition professional. "He knows better than anybody else what to eat or what not to after such a long career path," Ma said. "You will know how healthy he is if there are chances for him to show his muscle."

Anelka's wife and other family members will also come to Shanghai once the season begins.