Why Anelka`s Staying

It`s getting close to the end of the transfer window and the media`s desperate attempts to de-stabilise Bolton Wanderers continue. The latest ‘article` in the Daily Mirror is such a masterpiece of speculation, and deliberate misinterpretation, that it would have made Hitler`s propaganda team proud.

The subject once again is Nicolas Anelka. There`s no news on Nico`s alleged transfer to Manchester United, Portsmouth, Everton, West Ham, Lyon, Seville, Chelsea, Arsenal or Valencia (have I missed anyone out?) so here`s a recap.

Sammy Lee has gone on record as saying that he wouldn`t stand in Anelka`s way if a Champions League team came in for him. So that`s Everton, West Ham and Portsmouth out of the running. Anelka says that he wants to remain in England. Lyon, you are the weakest link, goodbye. Take Seville and Valencia with you. The link to Chelsea never had any substance and whilst Arsene Wenger might welcome Anelka back to the Arsenal fold, the board wouldn`t, so that idea bites the dust.

That leaves one club, Manchester United, in the running, yet United`s chief executive categorically ruled out a move for the Frenchman earlier in the summer. The renewed speculation has come about because of the injury to Wayne Rooney, but would Anelka want to move, knowing that he`ll be warming the bench once the Chav Master General returns to action? Would United, even with their recent spectacular spending habits, want to pay £12 million plus high end wages for a player to do that? It seems unlikely.

The odds are that Anelka is staying at Bolton and so is El Hadji Diouf. However the Mirror also reports that the deal to take Abdoulaye Faye to Newcastle has collapsed, so he`s probably leaving.