Clubs: Bendel Insouirance FC, Stade Rennais FC, SC Braga

UEFA honours
UEFA Europa League: runner-up 2011

• Uwa Echiéjilé – aka Elderson – was born in Benin City, Nigeria and began his career at 16 with local club Bendel Insurance.

• Left for Europe in August 2007 having represented his country at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada; joined French Ligue 1 outfit Rennes and played primarily for the reserves in his debut season, making his senior debut on 23 December 2007 in a 0-0 draw away to Toulouse FC.

• Made 15 Ligue 1 appearances for Rennes in 2008/09 but none the following season; despite that he was called up for Nigeria's 2010 FIFA World Cup squad and made two substitute appearances in South Africa.

• During the World Cup he penned a four-year contract with Braga and scored on his debut for the club in a 3-0 home win against Celtic FC in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League.

• Made three starts in the UEFA Champions League group stage but lost his place after Christmas and featured little in the Arsenalistas' run to the UEFA Europa League final.