Born: Kano, Nigeria, 8 June 1982
Position: Defensive midfielder
International caps: 33
International goals: 0
Signed: 29 August 2008 from Sunderland (£1.5m)
Fulham debut: Fulham 3-0 Middlesbrough, 20 December 2008
Fulham appearances: 126
Fulham goals: 6
Honours: UEFA Europa League runners-up (2009-10).
Sold: 3 August 2012 to Blackburn Rovers (£750,000).
Dickson Etuhu’s arrival at Craven Cottage from Sunderland in August 2008 might have been unheralded, but the Nigerian international became one of Roy Hodgson’s most important signings. The tough tackling midfielder provided a better balance in the engine room, something which allowed Fulham to sell the injury-prone Jimmy Bullard to Hull City for £5m in 2009. Etuhu dovetailed effectively with Danny Murphy in central midfield and their partnership was pivotal in helping the Whites finish seventh in the Premier League. He scored a brilliant goal at former club Manchester City in a terrific 3-1 win at the City of Manchester Stadium in April 2009.
Etuhu’s deflected strike at Juventus proved vital in helping the Whites stage one of the most astonishing comebacks in the club’s history with Fulham going through on away goals in March 2010. The defensive midfield was ever present in the remarkable run to the final and was handed a more adventurous role under Mark Hughes, which produced his best goal return in a Fulham shirt. He continued to feature under Martin Jol until the Dutchman converted Mousa Dembele into a central midfielder and Etuhu exited for Blackburn in the summer of 2012.
