Arsene Wenger’s tenure at Arsenal will be remembered as one of the finest managerial tenures in English club history, second only to Sir Alex Ferguson in the Premier League era.
Winning three league titles and seven FA Cups help to cement his legend in the English game, but his record in the transfer market, particularly during his first decade in charge, should not be overlooked.
How much did Arsenal pay for Anelka?
Thierry Henry, Marc Overmars, and Sol Campbell all arrived at Highbury during the Frenchman’s tenure and transformed the club from underachievers to arguably the best club side the Premier League has ever seen, with Henry and Overmars generating a significant profit for the club in the process.
However, it was Nicolas Anelka, who joined the North London club for £500,000 from Paris Saint-Germain in 1997, who would prove to be one of his wisest investments.
Was Anelka Wenger’s best Arsenal acquisition?
The talented striker was only 17 when he moved from Paris to London, and despite his limitless potential, his fiery personality meant he was just as likely to fly off the handle in front of the Highbury crowd as he was to score, and controlling this was Wenger’s main challenge.
The Frenchman scored 28 goals in 87 appearances for the Gunners, which is a fantastic return considering he moved countries at such a young age. He also played a key role in securing the first double under Wenger in 1997/1998, scoring six goals and grabbing a half-dozen assists.
Real Madrid came calling for Anelka as Arsenal prepared to burst into the stratosphere and create a side capable of conquering Europe, and a fee of £22.3m was agreed between the two clubs, representing a staggering 346% increase on the original £500k Wenger paid.
Despite his early promise, Anelka never lived up to the hype surrounding his outstanding early period, and it wasn’t until his time at Chelsea that he received the recognition he deserved years before, with Phil McNulty describing him as a “match-winner” back in 2009
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