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'Eric Djemba-Djemba' (born May 4, 1981 in Douala, Cameroon) is a football defensive midfielder who currently plays for Qatar SC and the Cameroon national football team.
Djemba-Djemba rose to prominence with FC Nantes, in France. His impressive performances as a feisty and uncompromising tackler for the French club earned him a dream move to Manchester United in the summer of 2003. Arriving in England, Djemba-Djemba was a complete unknown to many fans and pundits alike. He wasted no time in establishing his ultra-aggressive style during his debut against Arsenal in the Community Shield, leaving an impression - literally - on Arsenal's Sol Campbell with a typically rambunctious challenge which Arsène Wenger called "obscene".
In 18 months at Old Trafford, Djemba-Djemba never fully established himself as a player capable of filling captain Roy Keane's shoes. It did not help Djemba-Djemba's cause that United were in a period of transition and he was constantly being rotated in and out of the team with a number of other potential suitors to Keane's midfield mantle, as coach Sir Alex Ferguson searched for a worthy successor to his captain.
Djemba-Djemba was sold to Aston Villa in the January 2005 transfer window for a fee of £1,500,000. However, the move did little to restore the player's reputation as he found it difficult to move ahead of Gavin McCann and Steven Davis in Villa's midfield pecking order. A possible switch to La Liga in Spain has been speculated. After being played only once, as a late substitute, by new Villa manager Martin O'Neill on the first day of the 2006-2007 season, Djemba-Djemba was loaned out to Championship club Burnley for the remainder of the season in the January transfer window.
Djemba-Djemba made his first appearance for Burnley on January 13th 2007 against Southampton, playing the full 90 minutes. Early in his time at Turf Moor, Djemba-Djemba was sent off for the Lancashire side after a second bookable offence at Derby County; however he impressed with his skillful and effective play during his loan spell.
As of July 2007, all signs point to Eric leaving Villa Park after he was he only member of the first-team squad not to be included in the North American tour and on August 2 2007, Djemba-Djemba's contract was terminated by Aston Villa.
Djemba-Djemba was a member of the Cameroon team that won the 2002 African Nations Cup and finished runner-up to France at the 2003 Confederations Cup. He also appeared at the 2002 World Cup.

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External links

★ Official web site in French

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