Johan Djourou

Johan Djourou

Djourou with Switzerland in 2015
Personal information
Full name	Johan Danon Djourou-Gbadjere
Date of birth	(1987-01-18) 18 January 1987 (age 30)
Place of birth	Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
Height	1.92 m (6 ft 4 in)
Playing position	Defender
Club information
Current team	Hamburger SV
Number	5
Youth career
1998–2003	Étoile Carouge
2003–2004	Arsenal
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2004–2014	Arsenal	86	(1)
2007–2008	→ Birmingham City (loan)	13	(0)
2013	→ Hannover 96 (loan)	14	(0)
2013–2014	→ Hamburger SV (loan)	22	(0)
2014–	Hamburger SV	58	(2)
National team‡
2001–2002	Switzerland U16	4	(0)
2002	Switzerland U17	4	(0)
2003–2004	Switzerland U19	8	(1)
2004–2005	Switzerland U20	9	(1)
2006	Switzerland U21	2	(0)
2006–	Switzerland	65	(2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 08:55, 27 May 2016 (UTC). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 7 September 2016

Johan Danon Djourou-Gbadjere (pronounced: [dʒuʁu]; born 18 January 1987), more commonly known as Johan Djourou, is a Swiss international footballer who currently plays for and captains Hamburg.

He used to play as a defensive midfielder in his youth for former club Étoile Carouge, but upon his arrival at Arsenal, he was converted to a central defender. He occasionally filled in at full back for Arsenal and played several games in central midfield while on loan to Birmingham City. According to his former profile on Arsenal's website, Djourou possesses "pace, power and whole-hearted commitment" in addition to his versatility.

Djourou was born in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, to Ivorian parents Joachim and Angeline, and was later adopted by his father's first wife Daniele, a Swiss woman. They moved to Geneva when he was 17 months old. He enrolled at the Payerne Training Center when he was 13 and then in 2002 joined local second division side Étoile Carouge as a midfielder at 15. He joined Arsenal Football Club on 1 August 2003. He was a member of the Swiss under-19 squad that reached the semi-finals of the 2004 European Championships.

Djourou made his first senior start for Arsenal in a 3–1 victory against Everton in the League Cup, having made his first appearance after 89 minutes of the corresponding match in the previous round against Manchester City on 27 October 2004. He made his full Premiership debut for Arsenal in the 7–0 victory over Middlesbrough on 14 January 2006, playing at centre-back with Philippe Senderos. Djourou started Arsenal's FA Cup fourth round clash with Bolton Wanderers as part of a makeshift defence, a game in which Arsenal lost 1–0. He had also played in the third round clash with Cardiff City.