Alexandre Song Billong Bio Send To Friend  

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger had invited the Cameroon-born player over for a trial in pre-season and took him on the tour of Austria and he did enough in the friendlies with Weiz, Ritzing and FC Utrecht to earn a move to the club.

Song won the Gambardella Cup - for the Under-18s - with Bastia after joining the French side in the summer of 2003 and, although he played at left-back in 2004-05, he is seen as a central midfield prospect by the coaching staff at Arsenal.

He made his debut for the Gunners in a 2-0 home win over Everton but struggled to make an impact in the first team until a Carling Cup run in 2007-08.

Towards the end of the season he played well and was drafted into the side, most notably in Arsenal's crucial visit to Old Trafford against Manchester United, where he impressed further.

A great African Nations Cup in January 2009 for Cameroon saw him build on his potential and his status in the Arsenal squad was assured when Wenger did not bring in an experienced midfielder in the 2009-10 season, giving the youngster the mantle.