Owen Hargreaves, Manchester United player

Owen Hargreaves signed for Manchester United in July 2007, but injuries have so far significantly restricted his appearances.

Hargreaves was born and brought up in Canada. At sixteen he moved to Germany to join Bayern Munich, where he stayed for ten years. He made his senior debut in 2000 and was part of the Bayern team that, in 2000-2001, won both the Bundesliga and the UEFA Champions League. His performances brought him international recognition. His slightly unusual domestic circumstances meant there were a number of countries he could play for. He elected England and made his first appearance in August 2001. His European experience, gained by playing in Germany, made him a valuable member of the England squad, although this wasn’t initially appreciated by all England supporters. His international contribution was finally recognised after excellent performances in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. That summer Manchester United made their first attempt to sign Hargreaves. Bayern resisted and Hargreaves didn’t move to Old Trafford until 2007.

Hargreaves is a holding midfield player, who has also played at right full-back. He is a tenacious player who never seems to run out of energy. Playing in front of the back four is probably his most effective position. Sadly, he has rarely been fully fit since moving from Bayern. Suffering from patellar tendinitis, he missed most of the 2008-2009 season following operations on both knees. It is hoped he will return during the 2009-2010 season.