'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Arsenal legend and pundit Ian Wright has revealed that the arrival of Frenchman Nicolas Anelka in 1997 caused him to leave the club.
English striker Wright became the Gunners' record goalscorer in his time at the club but had to pack his bags after Anelka showed up. Wright was, and still is, revered by the Arsenal fandom for his contribution to the club in the 1990s, where he was undoubtedly one of the best strikers around. He scored goals nearly at will, finding the net 185 times in 288 appearances for the club.
Arsenal signed Ian Wright from Crystal Palace in 1991, and he immediately set the league on fire with his goalscoring feats. He revealed on the Stick to Football podcast that he had hoped to retire at the club, but Anelka's quality at 17 brought him to reality.
“[On the first moment he started thinking about retirement] When Nicolas Anelka started playing, it was like watching Ronaldo turn up. I saw that and I was 31 or 32, I knew my time was short, and I could see that he was unbelievable.
“I wanted to retire at Arsenal and when he came, I knew that I was going to be leaving soon. When I started to see him play, I couldn’t find many faults with him at 17.”
Arsene Wenger signed Nicolas Anelka in 1997 for a handsome sum of £500,000 from Paris Saint-Germain. The youngster played alongside Wright, who was already 33, for only half a season before the older striker moved to West Ham United in 1998.
Anelka himself did not stay long at Highbury, playing for just 18 months before moving to Real Madrid for £22.3 million. He eventually had spells back at PSG, Manchester City, and Chelsea, among other teams. He scored 28 goals in 87 appearances for the Gunners as a teenager and won four trophies.
Ian Wright, a true Arsenal legend
Before Thierry Henry, Robin Van Persie, and others started banging in goals for Arsenal, the fans had been exposed to what elite goalscoring meant. Ian Wright cost just £2.5 million from Crystal Palace and earned legendary status in his seven years at Highbury.
The Englishman enjoyed a hugely successful career at the club, winning the league and domestic cups in his time at the club. He was also part of the Gunners squad that won the European Cup Winners Cup in 1994.
Thierry Henry broke Ian Wright's goalscoring record for the Gunners in 2005, and the Englishman is second in the club's goal charts. The retired striker is also the third-highest goalscorer in the history of Crystal Palace and played for the English national team.
