Indian Super League: Paul Merson thinks Nicolas Anelka will improve football in India

Paul Merson believes ex-Arsenal team-mate Nicolas Anelka, and other former Premier League stars playing in the Indian Super League, will significantly improve football in the country.

Anelka, 35, who also played for Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool and Real Madrid, links up with Freddie Ljungberg at Mumbai, who are managed by former Sunderland and England U21 boss Peter Reid.

Robert Pires, formerly of Arsenal, and ex-Liverpool and Newcastle keeper David James are others Merson is convinced will help raise the standard of Indian football.

“I’ve seen it in the IPL with the cricket and the amount of youngsters who are now coming through," he told Sky Sports.

"For Indian youngsters just the experience of playing with the international players coming over has helped, people like Chris Gayle.

"Anelka, Pires and David James are all top-drawer players who will really help the young players they'll be playing with. These are players who have been around and played for top teams."

Merson remembers a precociously talented Anelka who arrived at Arsenal as a teenager from Paris Saint Germain in the late nineties.

“I was only just coming back from injury when he signed and after we played in the reserves together I said to the lads 'this kid is unbelievable’,” he said.

“In training he used to leave Steve Bould and Tony Adams on their backsides in one-v-ones. I thought he’d develop and go on and become better than the old Ronaldo - I thought he was that good. I honestly thought he was going to become one of the best players I’ve ever seen.

“I’ve always found him to be a really nice bloke and football-wise he’s been a phenomenal player, honestly, an absolutely phenomenal player.”

Another ex-Arsenal player who will play in the ISL is Brazilian Andre Santos who signed for FC Goa on Monday, where he will play under compatriot Zico and alongside Frenchman Pires.

Meanwhile, Sky sources understand Greece international Kostas Katsouranis has agreed terms with FC Pune City and will be unveiled by the franchise shortly.