Anelka To MLS Or The Union: Not So Fast, As He Denies Any Talk Of Leaving Chelsea

Nicolas Anelka has denied all reports of him talking about leaving Chelsea, hitting back at English newspaper The Times for its reports yesterday that quoted him as saying just the opposite.

Anelka was linked to a multitude of teams that wanted his services in January, when Chelsea was reportedly open to allowing the striker to leave the team. However, much of the discussion on Anelka's departure was centered around The Times' article on the situation that directly quoted the Frenchman as being disgruntled and seeing a way out of Chelsea as his only way to pursue playing time.

"I was hoping to win another league title this season with Chelsea, but now apparently it is not to be."

The 32-year-old former Arsenal and Real Madrid forward talked to the press today, this time stating that none of the quotes attributed to him by The Times were his and that he had never given the paper an interview. The English media has long had problems with fake interviews and attributions, causing problems for professional soccer players when the season gets close to either international transfer window.

"Following the quotations attributed to me in an English newspaper, I'd like to categorically deny having given any interview, let alone spoken about my future," Anelka told AFP. "I'm under contract with Chelsea until the end of the season, with many playing commitments."

The Frenchman was supposedly set to leave Chelsea for China, where he had a 10.6 million euros-a-year offer on the table, Italy, Russia or the United States, where the Philadelphia Union were one of a few teams to be named as possible suitors.