Friends reunited ?: Liverpool sign Anelka with Arsenal looming

Former Arsenal and Real Madrid star Nicolas Anelka is to try and revive his career at Liverpool.

Ther joint Premiership leaders are to take the French striker on loan until the end of the season with a view to a permanent signing from PSG foer their record signing who cost Madrid $30 million to sign in 1999 after one of the longest transfer sagas in recent football history.

PSG spent $22 million to sign Anelka last year but he has clashed with coach Luis Fernandez this season and his poor disciplinary record has seen him lose his place in the Paris club's first team and with the French national side.

Liverpool now have an option to buy Anelka next June after PSG backed coach Fernandez in his plan to dump the striker who is still only 22 and pair Brazilians Aloisio and Alex in their attack.

The moody and wayward striker agitated long and hard for a move from Arsenal two and a half years ago and his murky transfer to Madrid ended in poor conduct charges and his sale to the French lcub where he has failed to settle again with regular clashes with the French media and coaching staff at PSG. He feuded long and hard with the English media during his spell at Arsenal and could face his former club at Anfield on Sunday.

He has scored only twice this season and has effectively replaced Robbie Fowler at Liverpool who was sold to Leeds United last month for $15 million.

Liverpool confirmed that Czech striker Milan Baros would complete his move to Anfield after being granted a work permit today but Anelka is ahead of the young Czech star in the shake up to partner European Footballer of the Year.

Anelka's goals helped Arsenal win the 1998 domestic league and cup double and he was voted young player of the year in England that year before his relationship with the London club soured badly due to the influence of his brothers who act as his agents.

They offered Anelka to Inter last season and Chelsea last month with Chelsea twice refusing the striker.

But Liverpool were interested after the sale of Fowler and need a partner for Michael Owen.

The England striker has scored the vast majority of the club's goals this season with Jari Litmanen and Emile Heskey contributing only six between them with Owen hitting 18.

Owen missed the 4-0 defeat at Chelsea which convinced the Liverpool board that they needed to help Owen in attack and strengthen the squad's attacking options.

Anelka is young ad fast but was dropped for three French internationals recently returning to face Australia in November.

He received the backing of French coach Roger Lemerre this week when he put Anelka ahead of young Auxerre star Djibril Cisse in his plans for the World Cup finals next May.

But the player's poor discipline and bad attitude will test Liverpool's man-management skills which finally lost patience with Fowler recently.

However, Anelka has worked well with Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier before.

He was part of the successful 1996 under-18 side which won the world title under Houllier and now has the chance to revive a career which stalled badly when given the chance to reach the very top.