Gelson Fernandes

Gélson Fernandes

Gélson Fernandes in 2015
Personal information
Full name	Gélson da Conceição Tavares Fernandes
Date of birth	(1986-09-02) 2 September 1986 (age 30)
Place of birth	Praia, Cape Verde
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position	Defensive Midfielder
Club information
Current team	Rennes
Number	6
Youth career
1995–2004	FC Sion
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2005–2007	FC Sion	56	(1)
2007–2009	Manchester City	43	(3)
2009–2012	Saint-Étienne	33	(0)
2010–2011	→ Chievo (loan)	29	(2)
2011–2012	→ Leicester City (loan)	15	(1)
2012	→ Udinese (loan)	16	(1)
2012–2013	Sporting CP	6	(0)
2013	→ FC Sion (loan)	14	(0)
2013–2014	SC Freiburg	30	(1)
2014–	Rennes	86	(1)
National team‡
2005–2007	Switzerland U21	9	(0)
2007–	Switzerland	57	(2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 12 February 2017. ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 11 June 2016

Gélson da Conceição Tavares Fernandes (born 2 September 1986 in Praia, Cape Verde) is a Swiss professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for French club Stade Rennais. He also plays for the Switzerland national team.

Fernandes started his football career at FC Sion and was promoted to the first team in 2004 after being called by manager Gilbert Gress. The 2005–06 season proved to be the breakout year for Fernandes as he got more playing time for Sion. He played in central midfielder position for Sion. On 23 July 2005, Fernandes made his professional league debut for Sion in a 2–1 loss against Lausanne. In his first season, Fernandes made 22 league appearance and scoring none. In the 2006–07 season, Fernandes was able to get more playing time when he made 35 league appearances for Sion. In the first round of the UEFA Cup, Fernandes made his European Cup debut for Sion in a 0–0 draw against Bayer Leverkusen and in the second round of UEFA Cup, Fernandes scored his first professional league goal and first European Cup goal against Leverkusen which Sion lost 3–1 on aggregate. On 14 October 2006, Fernandes scored his first league goal for Sion in a 1–1 draw against Luzern. Fernandes also led his team win the Swiss Cup in a penalty shootout (5–3) against Young Boys. In the final game of the league 2006–07 season, Fernandes received a second bookable offense on a 90th minutes after receiving a yellow card in a first half which turns out to be Fernandes last appearance for Sion as Sion won 3–0 against St. Gallen.

Fernandes signed for Manchester City from Sion on 14 July 2007 for an undisclosed fee, believed to be around €6 million (£4.2 million), which would make his sale the second highest transfer in the history of the Swiss League. Following his signing, Sven-Göran Eriksson commented that he thought Fernandes was the "best young player in Switzerland." He made his debut in the 0–0 draw against Portsmouth.