Clubs: Hertha BSC Berlin, Tottenham Hotspur FC, Borussia Dortmund (loan), Portsmouth FC, Genoa CFC, AC Milan

• Born to a German mother and a Ghanaian father, Boateng came through the youth ranks at Hertha and made his first-team debut as an 18-year-old in August 2005.

• Memorably scored from inside the centre circle at the 2005 UEFA European Under-19 Championship, in a 3–0 win against Greece; represented Germany at every youth level from Under-15s to Under-21s, winning the prestigious Fritz Walter Gold Medal in the U19 category.

• Moved to Tottenham in summer 2007 but made just 14 appearances for the Premier League club and was loaned out to Dortmund in January 2009.

• Signed for Portsmouth the following August and proved instrumental in their FA Cup run, scoring an extra-time penalty in the semi-final defeat of his former team, Spurs (2-0), but having a spot-kick saved in the final against Chelsea FC (0-1).

• Officially switched his international allegiance to Ghana in May 2010 and made his debut for the Black Stars soon after in a friendly against Latvia (1-0) before featuring four times at the FIFA World Cup, where he scored in the second round versus the United States (2-1).

• Signed by Genoa in August 2010 but was swiftly loaned to Milan in an arrangement that was later switched to a co-ownership deal; made an immediate impact at San Siro, playing in all six UEFA Champions League group matches and scoring two league goals before the winter break.