West Brom striker Nicolas Anelka out of Everton match on 'compassionate grounds' amidst retirement claims

 
Nicolas Anelka of West Bormwich Albion scores the second goal past Gianluca Curci of Bologna during a Pre Season Friendly
Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
Andy Hodgson22 August 2013

West Brom striker Nicolas Anelka has been excused from playing Everton this weekend amidst reports that he is considering retirement.

Reports have emerged revealing that Anelka, who has played just one match for the Baggies, walked out of training today and told staff that he might retire.

A statement on West Brom's official website read: "The club have excused the striker from club duty on compassionate grounds."

Anelka, who played for West Brom in Saturday's 1-0 defeat to Southampton, is understood to have cleared his locker this morning at the club's training base.

He then met with West Brom's sporting director Richard Garlick before departing the ground in Walsall.

Anelka is one of football's most transferred players. The Frenchman was signed as a 17 year old by Arsenal from Paris St Germain for £500,000 in 2007.

Two years later he was sold to Real Madrid for £22.3m and was part of the side which won the European Cup in 2000. Immediately after he returned to PSG for £20m but had a stormy relationship with manager Luis Fernandez.

A short term loan move back to England with Liverpool followed but the Reds elected not to sign the France striker who moved to Manchester City for £13m instead.

In January 2005 he chose to join Fenerbahce - 18 months later he was on the move again, this time to England with Bolton Wanders for £8m where he scored 21 goals. In January 2008, Chelsea swooped for the journeyman in a £15m deal, where he would enjoy his longest and most settled spell appearing 125 times for the Blues.

In January 2012 Anelka joined Shanghai Shenua. When the Chinese side suffered financial problems he joined Juventus on a six month deal. At the end of the 2012/13 season he became a free agent and was persuaded to return to England by West Brom manager Steve Clarke.


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