How Much Did Anelka Cost Madrid?

By Robert Palmer

How Much Did Anelka Cost Madrid?

Nicolas Anelka, a French footballer who played as a striker, had an illustrious career playing for several top-notch clubs in Europe. One of his stints was with Real Madrid, one of the most successful and popular football clubs in the world.

Background

Anelka was born on March 14, 1979, in Le Chesnay, France. He started his professional football career with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in 1996. After playing for two seasons with PSG, Anelka caught the eye of Arsenal FC’s manager Arsene Wenger and signed for them in February 1997.

After spending two seasons with Arsenal, Anelka moved to Real Madrid at the age of just 20 years old. He was signed by Real Madrid’s president Florentino Perez on July 22, 1999.

Transfer Fee

The transfer fee paid by Real Madrid to sign Anelka from Arsenal was €34.5 million ($49 million USD at the time). This made him the most expensive player in Spanish football history at that time.

Real Madrid was keen to bring Anelka onboard as they were looking for a young and talented striker who could lead their attacking lineup alongside other great players like Raul Gonzalez and Fernando Morientes.

Performance at Real Madrid

Anelka’s stint at Real Madrid was not as successful as expected. Despite scoring a few crucial goals for the team, he struggled to find form and failed to cement his place in the starting lineup due to several reasons including injuries and disciplinary issues.

In his first season with Real Madrid, Anelka played 19 games and scored only 2 goals. In his second season, he played 11 games and scored 3 goals. His third season was his best, playing 33 games and scoring 7 goals.

However, despite his lackluster performance, Real Madrid managed to sell him at a profit of €10 million ($14 million USD) to Paris Saint-Germain in August 2000.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Nicolas Anelka’s transfer to Real Madrid cost the club a whopping €34.5 million ($49 million USD). Although he failed to live up to expectations during his stint with the club, Real Madrid managed to sell him at a profit thanks to his reputation as a young and talented striker.

Despite the disappointment of Anelka’s performance on the pitch for Real Madrid, it remains an important part of the club’s history as one of their most expensive signings ever.