Player Profile

A French-born left-back who can also play further forward, Assou-Ekotto played his part in a successful season for Tottenham as they finished fourth and qualified for the Champions League.

He started the campaign in blistering fashion, scoring a spectacular goal against Liverpool on the opening day. So far it is the only goal of his professional career.

Assou-Ekotto was signed by Tottenham in 2006 after impressing during three years with French side Lens, for whom he featured in the Uefa Cup.

The player initially resisted overtures from Cameroon, seemingly in the hope that he could break into the France side. But with Manchester United’s Patrice Evra and Arsenal’s Gael Clichy for competition, a call-up looked unlikely. He later pledged his international future to Cameroon, where his father was born, and made his debut last year.

In a newspaper interview in May, Assou-Ekotto controversially declared that football was not his passion and he only plays for the money, adding that “every player is like that” and “I don’t believe in friendships in football.”