Nicolas Anelka - signed from Paris Saint-Germain in 1997
Nicolas Sebastien Anelka is a French professional footballer. Anelka is currently playing with English Giants and Premier League Title holders, Chelsea. Anelka plays as a striker. He scored 33 goals for Chelsea in English Premier League in 2008- 2009 season and earned the Golden Shoe.
The ex- Arsenal striker was also a regular team member of France’s national team. Recently, French striker announced his retirement from international career, after he was banned by FFF (French Football Federation) for 18 matches.
The ex- French striker is described as a quick player because of his pace. Anelka also have very good aerial ability. His out of the world technique, accurate shooting and extraordinary movement off the ball earned him total of 177 goals.
Nicolas Anelka began his career at French Club, Paris Saint-Germain. Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger signed him in 1997 when he was only 17 years old. Nicolas Anelka’s signing is also marked as one of the Arsene Wenger's best pieces of transfer business. Arsenal manager plucked the youngster for a fee around £500,000. Anelka became a regular member of first team. Moreover, he has also managed to win the PFA Young Player of the Year Award the following season.
Anelka scored nine goals in forty matches for Arsenal in his debut season. Anelka scored fifteen more goals next season but unfortunately left Highbury. The talented striker was signed by Real Madrid for £22.3 which was quite profitable for Arsenal.
However, Anelka failed to impress at Real Madrid. He returned to Paris Saint-German in a £20 million deal. After that, Anelka joined Liverpool on loan in January 2002. Later on, French hit man joined Manchester City for £13 million at the start of the 2002–03 Season.
Anelka stayed at Manchester City for only 3 years. During his short stay, Anelka scored 42 times for the Eastland in only 90 appearances. After 3 years French hit man left Manchester City to join Turkish club for two seasons for a deal worth 7 millions. Anelka again made a return to England to join Bolton Wanderers and this time for 8 millions. Later on, he was again transferred to Chelsea from Bolton for a reported £15 million in January 2008.
Chelsea proved to be Anelka’s final English Premier League club. Anelka has built an aggregate transfer cost of almost 90 years during his transfers from different clubs over the years. Anelka is one of the only three players who won the Premiers League title with two different clubs.
Nicolas Anelka has represented France many times at international level. Anelka won his first internationals honours with France at Euro 2000. Anelka’s goal scoring ratio in International career is not very impressive as compared to the Club level. The 31-year-old striker has scored only fourteen times in sixty three appearances.
In addition to that, Chelsea striker has won the Confederations Cup with the French National Team in 2000. Unfortunately, he had very limited international appearances due to his unsettlement at the club level. He was also the part of France National Squad for the Euro 2000.
During the FIFA WORLD CUP 2010, FFF (French Football Federation) excluded Nicolas Anelka from the World Cup squad for disciplinary misconduct on 19 June 2010. He was accused of making some unacceptable comments to the national coach, Raymond Domenech.
However, two months later FFF (French Football Federation) banned Anelka for the next eighteen games after failing to show up to his disciplinary hearing. After the ban, the french striker announced his retirement from International football.
Nicolas has some awards and laurels to his name. Anelka was named Premier League Player of the Month twice. (February 1998 and November 2008) He was also the striker of the PFA Team of the Year two times: 1999 and 2009. Nicolas Anelka earned Barclays Golden Boot in 2008-09. He was player of the year in 1999.
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