Anelka back on the road to success after failing at Liverpool

Anelka has only been at the club for a month since his £15million transfer from Bolton but friends confirm he has never been happier.

In 2002 Liverpool decided not to offer him a permanent move to Anfield after at loan spell and their rejection of his talents dashed his hopes of a return to the Champions League.

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Now, instead of scrapping to save former club Bolton from relegation, Anelka is on the path to major honours with the Blues.

He has already slotted into Chelsea's style of play and scored two goals in the process.

The prospect of a partnership with Didier Drogba, when he returns from African Nations Cup duty, is mouth-watering and Anelka has already targeted glory with the Blues.

"Everybody speaks to me as if I've already been here a long time," Anelka said.

"It is strange as it is like I am in another world. I was fighting against relegation at Bolton and now I am fighting to win things."

Anelka thought he was on to a winner during a six-month loan spell at Anfield while with Paris St Germain.

But the then Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier pulled the plug on his dream move and opted to sign El Hadji Diouf from Lens instead.

The 28-year-old French striker was left to pick up the pieces of his career at Fenerbahce, Manchester City and Bolton before he moved to Chelsea.

He was dubbed a 'Le Sulk' for this apparent surly attitude but former Arsenal defender Nigel Winterburn, who played with the striker during his time with the Gunners, said the label is unfair.

"Nicolas is very quiet but he will socialised and always had terrific ability - I didn't think he was a sulker," Winterburn admitted.

"He has never stayed anywhere very long and a lot of people ask why that is but he is now at a club going places so we will see what happens.

"Nicolas used to mix with the French players at Arsenal and kept himself to himself but I never saw anything which showed he didn't fit in.

"It could be frustrating playing with him as he could look disinterested but then he would burst into life.

"Goalscorers are like that. If you give him quality service he will show you what he is capable of. I was always amazed that Liverpool didn't take him."

Chelsea boss Avram Grant added: "I believe in him. We bought him because we believe in him. He wants to prove himself after being at so many clubs and that is a good combination."