Julien Faubert Bio Send To Friend  

It had been reported that the midfielder was on the verge of a transfer to Rangers, but West Ham beat them to the signing after the player was given an ultimatum and he was announced on July 1. The French club had rejected a reported £4m offer from Rangers - and he then refused to train with his team-mates.

He made his debut for the French national side in August 2006 against Bosnia and Herzegovina and scored in the final minute to seal a 2-1 win. He was the first player to wear the number 10 shirt following the retirement of Zinedine Zidane.

Faubert started his career as part of the AS Cannes youth academy as a right-back but by the time he had progressed into the first team he had been converted into a midfielder.

He was signed by Bordeaux in 2004, earning a Ligue 1 runners-up medal in 2005/06.

As a quality, goalscoring midfielder there was no wonder that Hammers boss Alan Curbishley was so delighted to capture the player. But the Hammers' injury jinx struck in their second pre-season friendly when he ruptured his Achilles tendon against Sigma Olomouc. It ruled him out of action until January when he made his debut against Fulham and featured in eight games over the remainder of the season.

Back to full fitness, he was seen as a new signing for 2008/09.

He struggled to impress at West Ham and was in and out of the side - but that didn't stop Real Madrid from making a shock loan move for the player at the end of January 2009.