Chelsea have agreed to buy French international striker Nicolas Anelka from Bolton Wanderers for 15.0 million pounds ($29.35 million), the two Premier League clubs announced on Friday.
Sky Sports News reported that the 28-year-old has been offered a four and a half year contract with the London club. Chelsea and Bolton issued statements saying that terms had been agreed between them, but gave no further details.
If the deal is completed on Friday, Anelka could make his debut against Tottenham Hotspur in Saturday's London derby at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea are expected to move quickly as they are without three of their strikers. Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou are away on international duty with Ivory Coast as they prepare for the African Nations Cup while Ukraine's Andriy Shevchenko has been sidelined by an ankle injury.
Anelka, who has scored 11 goals in 22 games for Bolton this season has previously played for Paris St Germain, Arsenal, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Manchester City and Fenerbahce. He has now cost a total of 66.4 million pounds ($129.9 million) in transfer fees.
