His first team opportunities were limited in the 1996–97 season, but in 1997–98, he broke into the first team after a long-term injury to striker Ian Wright. Anelka is the first signing of the summer for West Brom, who will have the option of extending his contract for another season. [42] After returning to the team,[43] Anelka scored in both legs of the Champions League semi-final to give Los Blancos a 3–2 aggregate victory over Bayern Munich and advance to the competition final. "It depends on what Liverpool and Manchester City will do as well. "The more quality players you can bring to the club the better, and no-one can question Nicolas' quality.". Anelka failed to make his Chinese Super League (CSL) debut due to ankle injury on the opening league match of the season against Jiangsu Sainty. [49] The Paris club had finished second in Ligue 1 that season, thereby qualifying for the 2000–01 UEFA Champions League. He scored another hat-trick against Watford in the FA Cup to earn Chelsea a 3–1 victory at Vicarage Road. Anelka, who has won 69 caps for France, left Stamford Bridge to join Shanghai Shenhua in January 2012, returning to Europe to sign a short-term deal with. [92] On 24 June 2010, Chelsea announced Anelka had signed a new one-year extension to his existing contract that will keep him at the club until 2012.[93]. On 19 October, during Chelsea's Champions League group stage match against Spartak, Anelka continued his impressive goal scoring form in the Champions League, scoring the second goal of the match and his 50th goal for Chelsea in the 43rd minute of the game. The reports were quickly denied by the club, which confirmed Anelka would miss one match and that he had left the session early on compassionate grounds following the death of his agent. He also won his second Premier League winners' medal twelve years after winning his first with Arsenal in 1998. Your privacy is safe with us. [31], Anelka was Arsenal's top scorer in the 1998–99 season with 17 Premier League goals. The remaining player, either a winger or an attacking mid, reacted to the two players in tandem. [22], Anelka is also known for his controversial relationship with French comedian Dieudonné M'bala M'bala and attracted widespread condemnation after performing the quenelle hand gesture, created by M'bala and regarded as anti-Semitic, on the pitch when playing for West Bromwich Albion in 2013. [96][97], In total, Anelka scored 59 goals for Chelsea in 184 appearances. [58], Anelka joined Manchester City on 24 May 2002, with the £13 million transfer fee paid by manager Kevin Keegan, then a club record high.