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Johan Djourou

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Johan Djourou
Personal information
Full name Johan Djourou
Height 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
Position(s) Defensive Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Arsenal
Number 20
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15 May 2008

Johan Djourou (born January 18, 1987) is a Swiss international football player who currently plays for Arsenal. He used to play as a Defender for former club Etoile Carouge, but on his arrival at Arsenal was converted to a Defensive midfielder. He occasionally fills in at Centre back. for Arsenal and has played several games in central midfielder while on loan to Birmingham City.

Youth development

Djourou was born in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, to Ivorian parents Joachim and Angeline, and was later adopted by his father's first wife Daniele, a Swiss woman.[1] They moved to Geneva when he was 17 months old. He enrolled at the Payerne Training Center when he was 13 and then in 2002 joined local second division side Etoile-Carouge FC as a midfielder at 15. A few months later he signed scholarship forms for the Arsenal Academy. He officially joined Arsenal as a professional on August 1 2003. He was a member of the Swiss European Under-19 Football Championship squad in 2004.[2]

Arsenal career

He made his first senior start for Arsenal in a 3–1 victory against Everton in the Carling Cup, having made his first appearance after 89 minutes of the corresponding match in the previous round against Manchester City on October 27, 2004.

Djourou made his full Premiership debut for Arsenal in the 7–0 victory over Middlesbrough on January 14, 2006, playing at centre-back with Philippe Senderos.

Djourou started Arsenal's FA Cup fourth round clash with Bolton Wanderers as part of a makeshift defence, a game in which Arsenal lost 1–0. He had also played in the third round clash with Cardiff City.

In February 2006, Djourou played in the league games against West Ham United, Birmingham City and Bolton Wanderers. In April 2006 he came on as a substitute against Aston Villa in Arsenal's 5–0 victory, replacing the injured Emmanuel Eboué. He started April's premiership game against Portsmouth, a game which also saw the comeback of Sol Campbell.

During this season, several Italian clubs (including Juventus) scouted Djourou in Arsenal's reserve matches (his contract was to expire at the end of the 2006–07 season), but after the end of the World Cup, he signed a six-year contract extension with Arsenal.

He played in Arsenal's 2007 pre-season Emirates Cup win, against both Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain. On August 10, 2007 he signed for Birmingham City on loan for a five-month period. He made his debut two days later against the previous season's FA Cup and League Cup winners Chelsea. This was a closely fought contest in which Chelsea ran out eventual 3–2 winners, in which Djourou cleared off the line from Frank Lampard to keep Birmingham City in the game.[3]

Djourou continued to play for Birmingham consistently through his loan period until December 22 2007, when he gifted Bolton Wanderers' Nicolas Anelka a goal via an errant throw-in.[4] This marked his last appearance for the club. Although Birmingham boss Alex McLeish was keen to retain him, Djourou returned to Arsenal at the end of his loan spell, as cover for Kolo Toure and Alex Song while they play in the 2008 African Cup of Nations.[5] In May 2008, Djourou stated that he would be willing to partner Cesc Fabregas in midfield after the departure of Mathieu Flamini to A.C. Milan. At 1.92 m, Djorou could provide the physical presence that Arsenal have been lacking since the departure of Patrick Vieira in 2005.

International career

He made his senior Switzerland international debut against Scotland on 1 March2006, coming on as a substitute and again playing alongside Philippe Senderos. Djourou was called up to the Switzerland 2006 FIFA World Cup squad, despite not playing in the qualifiers. Although third choice central defender behind Philippe Senderos of Arsenal and Patrick Müller of Lyon, he started Switzerland's round 16 game against Ukraine. Injury, however, led him to be substituted in the first half. Later that year, he made two appearances during Switzerland's qualification campaign for the UEFA U-21 Championship, but has not appeared for the Swiss U-21 squad since.

Awards

On December 162006, Djourou was elected Newcomer of the Year 2006 during the TV Show Swiss Sports Awards.

Club career statistics

(correct as of 19 May, 2008)
Club Season League Cup* Europe Total
Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Arsenal 2004–05 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 3 0
2005–06 7 0 0 5 0 0 0 12 0
2006–07 21 0 0 4 0 5 0 30 0
Birmingham City 2007–08 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 0
Arsenal 2007–08 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 0
Total 43 0 0 13 0 5 0 61 0

(* FA Cup, League Cup and FA Community Shield)

References

  1. ^ "The Premiership Interview: Teenager going places fast". Glenn Moore (sport.independent.co.uk). {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ "Johan Djourou: "Playing Is a Relief"". Heinz Deubelbeiss (emagazine.credit-suisse.com). Retrieved 2006-08-13.
  3. ^ "Djourou completes Birmingham move". BBC Sport. 2007-08-10. Retrieved 2007-08-10.
  4. ^ Standley, James (2007-12-22). "Bolton 3-0 Birmingham". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2008-01-02.
  5. ^ Arsenal.com Wenger explains Djourou’s Birmingham recall


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