Just as Nicolas Anelka moves into a position to gun down his former
side, Arsène Wenger has described the strikers departure from
Arsenal as his biggest regret.
The Frenchman looked set for a glittering career in red-and-white
when he arrived from PSG in February 1997, aged 17. Within a year
he was the spearhead of the Arsenal attack and helping them towards
the double. However he moved the following season leaving
memories of 28 goals in 90 games and an overwhelming sense of what
might have been. A meandering career took him to Real Madrid, back
to PSG, Liverpool, Manchester City, Fenerbache and Bolton. On
Friday he signed for Chelsea in a reported £15 million move.
It is my biggest regret that he moved from Arsenal at that time
[in 1999] because I felt at that time he was a star here, said
Wenger at his pre-match press conference on Friday. When he left
he was a regular member in the French squad. He moved to Real
Madrid, Thierry Henry moved here and Thierry played in the European
Championship but Nicolas didnt play.
I still believe that at that time it was a big mistake that move.
But there are two lessons: the first one is you need to be at the
right club at the right moment. And the second is that when you
have as much talent as Nicolas you can always bounce back because
the talent at that level is not everywhere.
Wenger admitted a reconciliation was in his mind after another
fleet-footed French striker left last summer.
When Henry wanted to leave you always consider if you are strong
enough, he said. I decided to go with Bendtner and then I signed
Eduardo. But you consider all the strikers available.
I feel that Nicolas has had a funny career because he has the
talent to play in every club in the world? and he has played in
nearly every club in the world. Theres Arsenal, Real Madrid, PSG,
Liverpool, Chelsea but in between it looks like he takes some
breathers below.
I feel this signing for Chelsea could be decisive because they
will not feel the absence of Drogba as much. But they have so much
talent that when Drogba comes back and they play with him and
Anelka, which is very possible, somebody else will have to move
out.
So the good news is that they have one world class player more,
but they have to move another world class player out.
