<<Print>>

NICOLAS ANELKA last night insisted he will NOT be forced out of Chelsea. The French striker has only 12 months left on his contract and was expected to leave this summer. But �6million-rated Anelka has made it clear to boss Andre Villas-Boas he is staying, so can quit for nothing next year. The �100,000-a-week star said: "When I signed for Chelsea in 2008 I said I'd stay until I finished my contract and that is still the case. "I have one more year of my agreement remaining and that is fine for me. "I never said I wanted to leave Chelsea and even if there is an offer from someone else I don't care because I am seeing out my contract. "I'm happy with the work I have done since I came to this club and I want to continue that next season." Chelsea paid �15m to sign Anelka from Bolton in 2008 but the �50m arrival of Fernando Torres in January means he is no longer an automatic starter. The ex-Arsenal, Real Madrid and Manchester City striker has attracted interest from the USA and the Middle East but will wait until next year and leave as a free agent. Anelka, 32, spent most of the second half of last season watching from the subs' bench as Torres failed to live up to his price tag. But the outspoken frontman senses a fresh opportunity under Villas-Boas. Anelka, 32, has revealed everything was turned on its head for him by the signing of Torres. With the team struggling to overcome an horrendous mid-season slump, he knew boss Carlo Ancelotti was under pressure to keep picking the club's new superstar signing. But now Ancelotti has gone and Anelka - who has bagged 58 goals in 170 Blues appearances - believes all the strikers are in with an equal chance next season. He said: "When you are used to playing all the time and then suddenly you're not in the team, it's difficult when you have to get back on the pitch and perform. "I am in a situation where I constantly have to prove myself but I can say I have tried my best for Chelsea ever since I came here and I am happy with what I have done for the club. "When you sign for a club like Chelsea you know there is always going to be competition from other players. You must be ready to fight for your place and know the best player will play. "It's not about the price of a player - it's about what you do on the pitch. But the arrival of a new manager means it's a new possibility for everyone at the club. "I've now played for five different managers since I came to Chelsea in 2008 and that's something we've all had to adapt to." Anelka admits he would not always have taken such a realistic attitude to squad rotation and believes his new-found maturity has helped him. He added: "Maybe 10 years ago I would have reacted differently in this situation, but not now. When I first came to England, nobody knew who I was or what I was about. But perhaps now, you are seeing who I really am. "I was always happy on the pitch, believe me. I have enjoyed my football at every club I have played for, but I have loved my time at Chelsea. "We have a very strong squad and I don't think we have to strengthen to win the Champions League because I can't detect any real weaknesses. "When I look to the new season I see the same faces... Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool and maybe Spurs as the outsiders. But I can assure you we will be ready for them. "Of course I feel for Fernando. It's always difficult when you sign for a lot of money because you feel a lot of pressure to score goals. "Everyone saw the quality he had with Liverpool but, at Chelsea, we don't play the same way. There's not the same group of players and it was difficult for him in the beginning. "But now I think we will all see an improvement in his game. It is the same for Didier Drogba, a player who has already proved just who he is with Chelsea. "He has scored a lot of goals for this club and he's happy if we sign a big striker to help bring more trophies. That's good for Didier, good for the fans and good for the team." Anelka has already noticed the changes under Villas-Boas, who is pushing his players through two training sessions a day in the draining humidity of Malaysia to get them ready for the Premier League kick-off at Stoke on August 13. He revealed: "We've been back in training for two weeks and we are all trying our best to change some things. As long as I am playing for a big club like Chelsea, I'll always have something to prove."