Carlo Ancelotti is glad to have Nicolas Anelka on his side as the Frenchman returns to his former club this afternoon.

Anelka arrived at Stamford Bridge in January 2008 after a successful 18-month spell at Bolton, in which he scored 21 Premier League goals in 53 appearances, and has continued to hit the net since commencing work with Ancelotti this summer.

The Italian manager admits he has always been a fan of the striker, and tried to sign him while coach of Juventus some 10 years ago.

'He is a fantastic striker, he has great quality and has it all,' Ancelotti said of the 30-year-old. 'A good jumer, technical qualities, shoots fantastic and moves very well on the pitch. He is a great player. People should give him more importance.

'I wanted to buy him when I trained Juventus. I spoke with his brother but we could not agree. I don't know where he was, he changed a lot of clubs! Now he has found the right place to stay, because he will stay with us for a long time.

'He has improved with time, he is playing now with more personality, more intensity. I think he was 21-years-old, I was at Juventus in 1999 when he was very young.'

Since the pair linked up at the beginning of this season, Anelka has continued in the rich vein of form that earned him the Golden Boot last season, netting five times already as well as contributing important assists.

His partnership with Didier Drogba, which had been questioned under previous managers, is particularly pleasing for Ancelotti.

'I don't want to change Drogba and Anelka with any other couple. I think they are the best in the country,' he stated. 'I think that they have fantastic qualities to play together. Didier is more strong and Nicolas is more quick.

'Sometimes I ask him to play a bit behind Didier like against Fulham and normally he doesn't like to stay in front, he likes to move left or right and I didn't change him. It is better to maintain Didier in front and move Nicolas behind with Deco or Joe Cole.

'I found him very professional, he doesn't like to speak a lot, he prefers to stay quiet in the dressing room, but is very professional.'

Anelka has already scored against each of his previous English clubs except Bolton - Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City - and on current form it would be a brave man to bet against him finding the net this afternoon.