After weeks of bluster and fruitless negotiations Nicolas Anelka is left with a stark choice. To escape Highbury he may be forced to drag Arsenal through the courts after the club yesterday ordered him to return, insisting the final deadline for his move to Italy had passed.

The Frenchman is almost certain to ignore that demand, raising the prospect not only of a Pierre van Hooijdonk-style strike but a challenge to the world's transfer system. Anelka is said to be confident he could gain a legal ruling to buy his way out of his contract, which has four years to run.

His brother and adviser Claude made it clear last night the player was likely to remain in Paris despite Arsenal's call.

"We told him to think of himself as injured," he said. "He hasn't taken it too badly but hopes the problem will be resolved as soon as possible. Our main worry is not Arsenal's statement, it is rather to achieve his transfer as quickly as possible."

Yet Arsenal seem ready for a battle of wills with the 20-year-old, who has made it plain he will never play for the club again. When Anelka's latest escape attempt failed, apparently because of his wage demands of Stg £56,000 a week, they said it was their "primary concern that the player respects his contract with the club".

"It was apparent that Nicolas Anelka was determined to leave Arsenal for his own reasons," Arsenal said in a statement drawn up by their vice-chairman David Dein. "Consequently, transfer negotiations were held separately with Juventus and Lazio and it was believed that an agreement could have been reached.

"However it would appear personal terms were not concluded and therefore a transfer to either club was unable to proceed. With the season less than two weeks away it is the manager's priority to have the team fully settled and prepared for the forthcoming campaign.

"In the absence of a firm agreement for the transfer of Nicolas Anelka the club has withdrawn the possibility of the player departing and expect him to resume full training with Arsenal this week."

Quite how the squad will be more "settled" with Anelka than without him will be a mystery to most. It is hard to see his team-mates, let alone the fans, wanting to shake him warmly by anything other than the throat.

Although the club reiterated that it "has always been Arsenal's wish to retain the services of Nicolas Anelka," ultimately they may be forced to back down, by the courts or otherwise. Sacking Anelka for breach of contract if he fails to return would only play into his hands, and with every day the striker rots on the sidelines his £22 million value will decrease. Moreover, the signs are that Arsene Wenger will be able to afford a new forward only if Anelka leaves.

All of which may explain the relaxed attitude of the player's agent Marc Roget to Arsenal's announcement. "It was not a surprise for us," he said from the French Riviera. "We have no reaction. I was with David Dein just an hour ago. Nicolas will not be speaking to anyone for a few days. We are just going to wait; we are not going to do anything ourselves. We are just going to wait and see what other clubs do in response but we are not going to do anything. I am here on holiday." Asked which clubs he was referring to, Roget named Lazio.

Certainly the Serie A club added a further twist to this sorry tale last night by insisting a move for Anelka was still on. "Lazio deny that at this point talks with Arsenal over the possible sale of the player are in any way concluded, directly or indirectly," they said.