Jorge Andrade - young defensive talent (Allsport)

Position: Defender
Born: 09.04.78
Club: Porto

Speedy and solid defender who has become the lynchpin of the Porto defence in recent years.

Broke into the team from the youth ranks as a 19-year-old back in 1997 and soon became indispensable.

Impressed in subsequent European campaigns with the club, especially when having to mark Liverpool striking ace Michael Owen during a tense UEFA Cup quarter-final two-leg affair last season.

After that Andrade became the subject of rumoured £10m bids from European giants.

But Porto kept hold of their young star and were confident enough to let the experienced international stopper Jorge Costa go on loan to Charlton earlier this year.