Inside Nicolas Anelka’s stormy 1997 switch from PSG to Arsenal | OneFootball

In February 1997, aged 17 and still an apprentice at PSG, Nicolas Anelka sealed a six-year move to Arsenal after a legal wrangle with the Paris club. PSG received about 5 million francs.

According to L'Équipe, PSG executive Michel Denisot said there was neither winner nor loser as he confirmed the deal.

Anelka had broken through in 1996 but stayed on the bench. PSG offered a professional contract, yet the December loan of Cyrille Pouget deepened his frustration.

After meeting Arsène Wenger over the winter break, his camp told sporting director Jean-Michel Moutier on 11 January that he wanted to leave in June when his apprentice deal expired. On 13 January David Dein faxed PSG, and the next morning Anelka and his father signed from 1 July.

When the news broke on 15 January, PSG reacted sharply. He was dropped from the Super Cup first leg against Juventus that night and sent back to the academy. LNF president Noël Le Graët said he was not free and pressed the FFF to withhold clearance.

French rules clashed with European law. Wenger cited Bosman, 15 December 1995, to argue that once the deal ended in June Anelka could join Arsenal. The LNF asked FIFA to intervene, and Sepp Blatter backed freedom of movement for teenagers from 16.

A week before FIFA could hear the case, the clubs settled. Arsenal’s gamble soon paid off: after four outings in 1996-97 behind Dennis Bergkamp and Ian Wright, Anelka flourished and in 1998-99 became the first non-British Premier League player to win the Young Player award. He left for Real Madrid in 1999 for 220 million francs, €51.6m.

Source: L'Équipe