Has Le Sulk finally matured enough to become the player he always looked like he could be?
Matthew Lewis / Getty Images
Nicolas Anelka signs for Chelsea in January 2008
Second only to Juan Sebastian Veron in the all-time combined transfer fees league table, Nicolas Anelka has been given what, at age 28, could be his last really big tilt at the big time as he steps into a Chelsea squad desperate for a league title which has evaded them for the past two seasons.
Shining through as a youngster at Arsenal, Anelka's difficult reputation led to less than glorious spells at Real Madrid, Paris St Germain, Liverpool, Manchester City and Fenerbahce before he finally looked to settle down at Bolton Wanderers and show the skills and eye for goal that always lurked somewhere beneath the murky surface.
Anelka's pace, power and goalscoring exploits should have seen him grace the greatest clubs in Europe, not a succession of second rate sides who were the only ones willing (or desperate enough) to take a chance on his suspect temperament. With Didier Drogba's Chelsea future always hanging in the balance he can really push on and make the number one striker's spot at Stamford Bridge his own and I for one would be delighted to see some of that elusive potential finally fulfilled.
Shining through as a youngster at Arsenal, Anelka's difficult reputation led to less than glorious spells at Real Madrid, Paris St Germain, Liverpool, Manchester City and Fenerbahce before he finally looked to settle down at Bolton Wanderers and show the skills and eye for goal that always lurked somewhere beneath the murky surface.
Anelka's pace, power and goalscoring exploits should have seen him grace the greatest clubs in Europe, not a succession of second rate sides who were the only ones willing (or desperate enough) to take a chance on his suspect temperament. With Didier Drogba's Chelsea future always hanging in the balance he can really push on and make the number one striker's spot at Stamford Bridge his own and I for one would be delighted to see some of that elusive potential finally fulfilled.
- Prev
- Next