The star of the last weeks' transfer circus, Nicolas Anelka, has spoken to the French newspaper L'Equipe, and is quoted in the Independent.

In the interview, Anelka praised Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger: "I am where I am because of him... he always helped me when I doubted myself. He always did what he promised he would do."

Anelka told the French newspaper that he had made an irrevocable decision to leave England after Arsenal beat Wimbledon 5-1 without him on 19 April. "The manager rested me. The next day the British papers said that Arsenal didn't need me," he said.