Clubs: Stade Rennais FC, Olympique de Marseille

• Born in Yaounde, Cameroon, he attended the Kadji Football Academy in Douala before moving to France at the age of 18, joining Rennes.

• Broke into the Rennes first team during 2005/06 and went on to make 105 Ligue 1 appearances for the Brittany club before Marseille recruited him in July 2009 for a reported €12m.

• First capped at senior international level by Cameroon in November 2005, he attended the Africa Cup of Nations and the Olympic Games in 2008; two years later he followed another Africa Cup of Nations appearance by playing from start to finish in Cameroon's three matches at the FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

• Travelled to the World Cup as a champion of France, having won the Ligue 1 title in his debut season at OM, contributing as a midfielder and central defender with 27 appearances and two goals (scored in successive games against OGC Nice and FC Sochaux-Montbéliard); also played in the League Cup final win against FC Girondins de Bordeaux (3-1).

• Made four UEFA Champions League group stage appearances in both 2009/10 and 2010/11, adding to his nine UEFA Cup outings for Rennes.