Player profile

Born in Amsterdam, he was schooled at the famous Ajax Academy until he was released at the age of 16 for his poor attitude.

He was then taken on by Arsenal but managed just eight starts in two-and-a-half years with the Gunners and left to join Spartak Moscow in 2006.

After he arrived in Russia he was sent out on loan to no fewer than four clubs, failing to really impress at Celta Vigo, Birmingham, Cardiff and Portsmouth. In March he was forced to leave Portsmouth as a result of their financial woes and signed a three-and-a-half year contract at Saudi club Al-Sadd.

Owusu-Abeyie is a former Dutch Youth international before switching allegiances to the country of his parents’ birth.

He received clearance from Fifa hours before the squad for the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations was announced. He scored his first goal for his adopted country in the third-place play-off against the Ivory Coast. The left-winger or striker was not a regular during World Cup qualifying and was not selected for January’s Africa Cup of Nations.