Shanghai FC Players Will Play In Next Match, Owner To Receive Greater Share Of Club

Former Chelsea player Didier Drogba "was set to return from int'l duty" Thursday, heading straight "into a row" at his Shanghai Shenhua club that has seen its players refuse to practice over unpaid wages, according to the AFP. However, club and league officials said that the team "will play its next game on Saturday" against Changchun Yatai as scheduled. Training "had returned to normal" after the one-day protest (AFP, 10/18). In Beijing, Yan Weijue reported Shenhua's "complicated row over the control" of the club will "soon be settled" with Owner Zhu Jun, "the club's major investor, to officially take command." Zhu "sent an ultimatum to the other five club owners," all from state-owned enterprises last week, "demanding the large stake transfer promised long ago, otherwise he would stop paying wages and bonuses." Shareholders of the five state-owned enterprises "agreed to complete the transfer by the end of '12," which will push Zhu's stake share, currently at 28.5%, to 75% (CHINA DAILY, 10/18).