Nike PSG Away 96/97 Anelka 21 - 7/10

Own a true vintage rarity with this authentic Nike PSG away jersey from 1996/97, named for the teenage Nicolas Anelka, the precocious French forward whose number 21 at Paris Saint-Germain captured the brief but brilliant breakthrough moment that launched one of football’s most well-traveled careers. This shirt represents the season Anelka, still only a teenager, emerged at PSG before Arsène Wenger brought him to Arsenal in early 1997 for a tribunal-decided fee, a transfer later remembered as one of football’s greatest bargains.

Product Details

• Brand: Nike
• Club: Paris Saint-Germain (PSG)
• League: Ligue 1
• Kit Type: Away
• Season: 96/97
• Player: Nicolas Anelka
• Number: 21
• Size: M
• Condition: 7/10
• Nameset: Original nameset — already in place when purchased

History

The 1996/97 Ligue 1 season was Nicolas Anelka’s breakthrough campaign as a 17-year-old Paris Saint-Germain academy graduate. Having progressed through PSG’s youth system, he made senior appearances in both league and cup competitions, wearing the number 21 during a period when PSG were among the strongest clubs in French football.

The squad included major names such as Bernard Lama, Bruno N’Gotty, Patrick Mboma, Leonardo, Raí, and Youri Djorkaeff, following PSG’s UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup triumph the previous season.

Anelka’s first spell at PSG ended dramatically in early 1997 when Arsène Wenger signed him for Arsenal for a tribunal-decided fee reportedly around £500,000. The move would become one of football’s most profitable transfers when Arsenal sold him to Real Madrid in 1999 for £23 million.

Anelka later played for Arsenal, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Manchester City, Bolton, Chelsea, Juventus, West Brom, and PSG again, earning a reputation as one of football’s most nomadic elite forwards. The 96/97 PSG away shirt, therefore, represents an exceptionally early-career piece from before he became a global football star.

Collector Value

A 96/97 Nike PSG away shirt with an authentic Anelka 21 nameset is genuinely rare. Period-correct Anelka PSG shirts almost never surface on the collector market because of his extremely short first-team spell at the club during his teenage years.

Comparable examples in 7/10 condition typically resell internationally in the NOK 2,000 – NOK 4,500 range, while stronger-condition examples can exceed NOK 6,000. This particular shirt shows age-consistent wear but remains fully intact and highly characterful.

TheFootballIdiots’ NOK 2,399 sits within the middle of the international market for this niche but increasingly collectible vintage PSG piece. As PSG’s global supporter base has exploded in the modern era, original 1990s Nike PSG shirts have become substantially more sought after.

FAQs

How long did Anelka play for PSG?

Nicolas Anelka’s first PSG spell was very short. He emerged through the club’s academy, made senior appearances during the 1995/96 and 1996/97 seasons, and was signed by Arsène Wenger for Arsenal in early 1997.

He later returned to PSG between 2000 and 2002, but the 96/97 shirt specifically represents his original teenage breakthrough period.

Why is the Anelka-to-Arsenal transfer historically significant?

Arsène Wenger signed the 17-year-old Anelka from PSG in 1997 for a tribunal-decided fee estimated at around £500,000. Arsenal later sold him to Real Madrid for £23 million in 1999, turning the move into one of football’s most profitable transfer deals and helping establish Wenger’s reputation as an elite talent identifier.

Are 1990s PSG shirts collectible?

Yes, increasingly so. PSG’s modern global popularity has dramatically increased interest in the club’s classic Nike-era shirts from the 1990s, particularly those featuring the traditional Hechter stripe design.

Player-named editions linked to figures such as Raí, Leonardo, Djorkaeff, Ronaldinho, Bernard Lama, and early-career Anelka are among the most sought-after vintage PSG collector pieces.