A Ticket For The Anelka Millions

Every Fantasy Football manager has three things in their Team bank account: cobwebs, tumbleweeds and moths. So it is no surprise that managers like to jump on those cheap players who have two good gameweeks in the hopes of catching a price-rise, since price-rises afford you the ability the swap in and out the big-name players as fixtures dictate.

Typically, these Bandwagons are easy to spot. Perhaps they score two goals in an upset against Man City. Perhaps they have been on the right side of a couple of clean sheets. In most cases it is the preceding weeks' score that indicate potential.

This is not the case with the return of Nicolas Anelka.

Anelka was the cut-price striker of choice for many FF players, until his friend and manager passed away and Anelka took compassionate leave. Rumoured news of Anelka considering retirement led FF players to transfer Anelka out of their teams in droves. 150,000 people dropped him from their squads, and as a result Anelka's price dropped to £5.4 million, despite having price protection in place.

The news coming from West Brom sounds very positive for an Anelka return this week. He has been back and training with the team, and West Brom manager Steve Clarke has said Anelka's head is in the right place. All signs point to Anelka starting. If this is the case, how many FF players will transfer him in? Here are some scenarios:

1. RVP has a big week against Liverpool. After this gameweek many managers will be looking to use their Wildcard. If RVP earns decent points then he will become a huge Wildcard target, and players will need a cheap striker to afford the expensive striker. Anelka fits the bill and gets big transfers.

2. Anelka has a big game this against bottom-of-the-table Swansea. Entirely possible; after losing his friend, emotions might push Anelka on to devastating effect. If Anelka returns and scores a goal, or even earns an assist or two, Anelka will get big transfers.

3. RVP AND Anelka have big GWs. If this happens, there will be a huge drive to bring in Anelka; from managers using a Wildcard and needing a cheap striker to facilitate other transfers, OR from players looking to upgrade a single striker, OR from players looking to jump on the bandwagon and cash in on a price rise.

4. Anelka doesnt play in any internationals during the international break between GW3 & 4, but other big names do. One of those big name players gets injured, and managers look for a cheap and performing replacement.

Because so many people sold Anelka over the last week, it will take a much smaller amount of players transferring him in for Anelka to see a price rise. Even if just the same number of managers who transferred him out bring him back in, he will see, at least, a £0.2m price rise. If any of the scenarios listed above play out, particularly #3, then Anelka owners who buy him for £5.4m could cash in big time.

Bringing Anelka into your squad right now is like getting a ticket in a lottery that might reward your FF team with up to £0.6m profit. His fixtures over the next 3 game weeks are good. If you need a striker, if no-one else can help you, and if you have a transfer to spare, maybe you can hire: THE A TEAM Anelka.