Name: Mehdi Benatia
Current Team: AS Roma
Position: Defender
Age: 27
2013-14 season statistics: 90 interceptions, 20 blocked shots, 219 clearances
Medhi Benatia, although born in France, is of Moroccan descent and, as well as AS Roma, plays for the Moroccan national team in a centre-back position. His debut was played for Clairefontaine’s youth team in 2000 before moving to Guingamp for a season in 2002. A year later he transferred to Marseille before signing a professional contract with them two years later. For two out of the three seasons he was with Marseille he was on loan; firstly to Tours and secondly to Lorient. After spells at Clermont and Udinese Calcio, where he scored two and five goals respectively, AS Roma signed him in July 2013 on a five-year contract. In his first season he scored 5 goals in 30 games. Additionally he’s earned 36 caps, 1 for France’s U-18s, 4 for Morocco’s U-20s and 31 for Morocco’s national team. According to rumours Benatia has been quoted as saying “I am 27-years-old and I have reached an age where big offers from great clubs causes you to think, clubs like Barça, City, Bayern.”
Photo via mustapha_ennaimi