Wayne Bridge Bio Send To Friend  

Bridge joined Manchester City in January 2009 signing a four-year contract after completing a move from Chelsea believed to be worth in the region of £10m.

The defender remained an important squad player throughout his time at Chelsea and, despite seeing his first team opportunities limited at Stamford Bridge, is regarded as one of the best left-backs in the Premier League.

Bridge began his career with hometown club Southampton's ranks to become a key part of their squad. By the middle of the 2001-02 season, he had become an accomplished Premiership defender - and in February 2002 earned his first England call from Sven Goran Eriksson.

After the 2002 World Cup, speculation that Bridge would join a bigger club was growing. He eventually got it and a big money move to Chelsea in July 2003 gave Bridge the platform to challenge Ashley Cole for an England place.

Bridge's Chelsea career had looked to be at an end in January 2006 when he joined Premiership rivals Fulham on loan for the remainder of the season. But the departure of the disappointing Asier Del Horno in the summer of 2006 appeared to hand Bridge a lifeline - yet, just before the transfer deadline, Ashley Cole made the switch from Arsenal.

Cole's injury ills over the course of 2006-07 meant Bridge was once more an important player for the Blues, remaining so throughout Avram Grant's tenure before the lure of regular football at Eastlands was enough to tempt Bridge to move north and he left for Manchester City in 2008.

Making himself first-choice at City, he remains behind Cole in the England pecking order, but is a valuable squad player and adds much needed experience to the defensive line.