There appears to be a long line of Premier League clubs forming at the door of Nicholas Anelka, interested in ending his Chinese nightmare.
West Brom are the latest British team to take an interest and have been made odds-on in the latest betting odds to secure the signature of the 34-year-old. West Ham, Fulham, Southampton, and Crystal Palace join the Baggies in supposedly having contacted the former Arsenal and Chelsea striker about returning to the Premier League.
However, in the case of all five clubs a move for the man nicknamed ‘Le Sulk’ would be a risk that looks unlikely to pay off. The hassle of having to deal with his Chinese club, Shanghai Shenhua, could prove to be the first stumbling block, given they aren’t going to let Anelka go without a fight it seems.
The struggle you’d have getting him back to England, coupled with Anelka’s wage and the fact he has played only 45 minutes of competitive football this year should be enough to put anyone off. However, the reputation he carved out for himself in the Premier League keeps those clubs previously mentioned interested.
In his pomp, Anelka was an excellent player with a great first touch and a flair unmatched by many. However, time catches up with us all sadly and Anelka’s star was beginning to wane even before he left Chelsea. Therefore, it was no surprise his loan move to Juventus didn’t work out as the Italian champions realised Anelka isn’t quite the striker he once was.
Perhaps at a mid-level Premier League club, Anelka could make some kind of difference but only if you can keep the notoriously temperamental striker happy, a job that is easier said than done.
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