Owusu-Abeyie, born in Amsterdam featured for English Premiership side, Arsenal, from September 2002 till he joined the Russian club, Spartak Moscow, for about £1.45m on January 31, 2006.

Quincy, as he is affectionately called, went through the ranks of the famous Ajax Amsterdam academy. Having spent nine years as a youngster with the Dutch outfit, he found his chances limited under Arsene Wenger and joined Spartak before being loaned out to Spanish side Celta Vigo.

Although born in Holland, he was allowed to switch his international allegiance to Ghana last year and was a member of the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations squad.

Profile

Played for a year or so at a local club called SC Bijlmer but joined Ajax at age 7. Played there for a long time before moving to Arsenal at age 16.

Owusu-Abeyie was handed his Arsenal debut in October 2003 at the age of 17, coming on for the final 35 minutes of the Carling Cup victory over Rotherham United. The forward was signed from the famous Ajax youth system in September 2002.

Owusu-Abeyie had been with the Amsterdam club for nine years before a successful trial with the Gunners led to a move to the Premiership club.

• Jan. 2007: Owusu-Abeyie decided to play for Ghana

• July 2008: Birmingham City signed him from Spartak Moscow on an initial loan deal worth around £1.58m. The 22-year-old Ghanaian international has signed a contract until January 2009 with an option to extend it to the end of the season. Should the deal become permanent it would cost Blues a further £3.6m.