Allardyce would welcome Anelka

West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce admits he would be interested in a January move for Nicolas Anelka. The 33-year-old is currently plying his trade in China PR for Shanghai Shenhua but has recently been linked with a move back to the Premier League. Allardyce, who has guided the Hammers to seventh place in the table after their opening 11 fixtures, signed Anelka for Bolton Wanderers for a then club record fee in 2006 and revealed he would like to work with the France striker once again. "It could interest me, of course it could," he said. "It would be of interest if that is a possibility financially for us and he wanted to come. I have had no conversations with Nicolas' agent or anything like that at this time." Anelka was seen as a marquee signing for Wanderers when he was bought from Turkish side Fenerbahce and his form at the Reebok Stadium earned him a big move to Chelsea a year-and-a-half later. Allardyce believes Anelka transformed his Bolton side into a team that could challenge at the right end of the table. He said: "His professionalism and dedication was why he was such a good player and we never had problems at Bolton at the time he was with us. "He was the difference - he was the reason we went into the top end, the top four, rather than the top eight." From : Fifa