A multi-purpose midfielder who holds the record number of appearances for the England Under-21 side (46), James Milner has racked up ten years of Premier League experience with four clubs, the latest being Manchester City FC. He played for England at the 2010 FIFA World Cup and made six UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying appearances.

• Earned early acclaim after breaking into the first team of home-town club Leeds United AFC at 16, becoming the Premier League's youngest goalscorer when he found the net on Boxing Day 2002 against Sunderland AFC.

• Made regular appearances for Leeds in 2003/04 but could not save the Whites from relegation and moved to Newcastle United FC in July 2004, helping the Magpies to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup in his first season.

• Had a season-long loan spell at Aston Villa FC in 2005/06 and returned to the Birmingham club on permanent basis in August 2008.

• A member of England's UEFA European Under-21 Championship squad at the 2007 and 2009 final tournaments, making his record 46th and last appearance for the team in the final of the latter against Germany in Sweden, he made his senior debut two months later as a substitute in a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands in Amsterdam.

• An excellent 2009/10 season for Villa, in which he scored a career-best Premier League tally of seven goals and was converted into a central midfielder, ended with his appearance at the 2010 World Cup, where he made three starts.

• Left Villa for Manchester City after the World Cup for a hefty fee and helped the Citizens win the FA Cup and, the following season, the English top-flight title for the first time since 1968.