Anelka deal off, admit Monaco

Monaco do not have the funds to sign Manchester City striker Nicolas Anelka or Javier Saviola, the heir to the Principality’s throne Prince Albert has confirmed.

Coach Didier Deschamps, who was chasing both players but had admitted a preference for Anelka over Saviola, was hoping to recruit the City man on loan as he did with great success last year with Real Madrid striker Fernando Morientes.

As an alternative, he was also interested in Argentina star Saviola who has scored a total of 55 goals in his past three campaigns with Barcelona.

But City were only willing to sell Deschamps his former Euro 2000-winning team-mate Anelka for £10.1m (€14.96m) while Barcelona also refused to let their striker go for one season for free.

“We’ll get neither one nor the other,” Prince Albert of Monaco, the son of Prince Rainier and the late Princess Grace, said in L’Equipe.

The Prince is closely involved with the Principality club although it is unusual for him to comment on such a matter as a transfer deal.

“Didier wanted Anelka more than Saviola but the deal won’t go through.

“As far as Saviola is concerned the price tag has been raised drastically.”