Biography

With Celestine Babayaro having departed the previous January and Wayne Bridge fighting back from a broken leg, a new left-back for the new season was the highest priority. The identified target was a 24 year-old who had recently made a Spanish international full-back shirt his own and £8 million proved sufficient for Athletic Bilbao to sell.

Making his debut in September 2000, he quickly built a reputation for exciting attacking raids down the flanks and for weighing in with more than his fair share of goals. Six foot tall, he is especially dangerous with his head at set-pieces and scored 13 times in 94+14 league appearances in Spain.

Asier's debut for the national side came early last season and by November he was introducing himself to English football fans by scoring the winner past Sven Göran Eriksson's team in the Bernabeu.

Player Info

Date of Birth: 19 Jan 1981

Height: 5 11

Signed: 21 Jun 2005

Previous clubs: Athletic Bilbao (£8,000,000)