Anelka plans long Blues stay
by JP Lonergan, 26 March 2008
Nicolas Anelka has hinted that he would be happy to stay with Chelsea beyond his current contract.
The French striker moved to Stamford Bridge from Bolton Wanderers in January for £15million and although he has only been there a couple of month and has been played out of position in that period, he insists he is planning to stay with the title chasers for a long time to come.
"I am already very happy to have signed for a club like Chelsea. I have been waiting for that since my departure from Liverpool six years ago," Anelka told L'Equipe.
"Even if I don't always play in the centre, that is not so serious. With the number of matches we are playing, there has not been a lot of time to work on my partnership with Didier Drogba.
"Am I keen to play regularly on the left flank? No of course, especially because I have never played on the left before in England.
"People who have worked with me know my qualities are in the centre and I believe the Chelsea coach [Avram Grant] knows it.
"He uses me alone on the centre or on the flank, but it is not a big trouble to me so far.
"I will be 32 at the end of my Chelsea contract. If they want to keep me I will stay.
"Otherwise you never know. I can move to USA or come back to Paris Saint Germain. It is an option I can't exclude."
Anelka is hopeful of playing a starring role for France in Euro 2008, but knows that - like at Chelsea - his coach has a great deal of options for his attacking berths.
The former Arsenal man does not believe France boss Raymond Domenech has decided on his first-choice strike-force yet and is confident of making himself part of that very attack.
"To me, there is not a hierarchy in the French team. We could have a partnership with [Karim] Benzema and myself or a system with the three of us.
"Moreover, you can start the competition with two forwards and finish with two other ones. Domenech is just like the Chelsea coach. He is spoilt for choice."
