10 Players Who Probably Regret Leaving Chelsea

2. Nicolas Anelka

Steve Drew/EMPICS SportSteve Drew/EMPICS SportIt cannot be denied that Nicolas Anelka's career since leaving Chelsea in 2008 has taken a considerable turn for the worse. After winning the Premier League, Community Shield and FA Cup with the Blues, the Frenchman made the inexplicable decision to join Chinese minnows Shanghai Shenhua. His time there was an unmitigated disaster and he was bizarrely added to the coaching staff to help ailing manager Jean Tigana in 2012. He returned to the Premier League with West Brom in 2013 and scored two goals in nine appearances but was then found guilty of performing a racist gesture during a goal celebration and was released by the Baggies. The striker remains a free agent to this day, while those title-winning days at Chelsea must seem like a million miles away.
Contributor
Contributor

Joseph is an accredited football journalist and has interviewed nearly all of the current 20 Barclay's Premier League managers. He is also a correspondent for Bleacher Report and has written for Caught Offside and Give Me Football.