Everton manager David Moyes took a £5.5 million punt on Championship defender Lescott in August 2006 and it proved to be a gamble worth taking. At Goodison Park, the former Wolves defender established himself as a top-class Premier League performer and broke into the England national team before forcing through a controversial £22 million move to Manchester City in August 2009.

Lescott's stock rose quickly on Merseyside as he carved out a reputation as a goalscoring left back or centre back, netting 14 Premier League goals for Everton in three seasons, including eight in the 2007-08 campaign, proving his worth at both ends of the pitch.

However, he struggled to carry his form into his first season at Eastlands and, with several defensive recruits having arrived in 2010, he will need to up his game.

Strengths: A strong and relatively versatile defender, Lescott is a commanding presence at the back and capable of scoring goals.

Weaknesses: He can look nervy and is vulnerable to attackers with a decent turn of pace.

Career high: Joining Manchester City's mega-bucks revolution, along with star names such as Carlos Tevez and Emmanuel Adebayor.

Career low: Being booed on his final game for Everton as the Toffees lost 6-1 to Arsenal on the opening day of the 2009-10 season.

Style: Aware, versatile, intelligent.

Quotes: "Last season was frustrating. I worked so hard to get the move and I feel I didn't repay the club as much as I would have liked. I believe I can repay the club if I am given the opportunities. I didn't want to come here and win things but not play." - Joleon Lescott, July 2010

Trivia: Lescott finished the 2007-08 season with eight goals and more impressively as the Premier League's finest finisher, with a phenomenal goals-to-shots ratio of 42.1%. To put that into perspective, the next best was Yakubu, lagging way behind with 28.3%.