Chelsea capture striker Anelka
Friday, January 11, 2008
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Much-travelled France striker Nicolas Anelka has joined Chelsea FC on a four-and-a-half year contract from Bolton Wanderers FC in a transfer worth some €20m.
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Much-travelled France striker Nicolas Anelka has joined Chelsea FC on a four-and-a-half year contract from Bolton Wanderers FC in a deal valued at €20m.
Experience
Chelsea were keen to sign a forward in the transfer window, with Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou on African Cup of Nations duty and Andriy Shevchenko injured. In Anelka, they have bought one with a proven track record in the Premier League, not least this season where his tally of ten goals is bettered only by Cristiano Ronaldo and Emmanuel Adebayor. The 28-year-old is making his eighth move since leaving Paris Saint-Germain FC for Arsenal FC in 1997, a journey that has taken in Real Madrid CF, Liverpool FC, Manchester City FC and Fenerbahçe SK, from where he switched to Bolton in 2006.
European competition
Although Anelka featured in Bolton's UEFA Cup campaign, helping them reach the Round of 32, Chelsea have the option of adding one player who has played in another European competition this season to their UEFA Champions League squad in time for their first knockout round encounter with Olympiacos CFP.