Popularly considered to have been one of Arsenal Coach Arsène Wenger's more comical forays into the transfer market, Efstathios or 'Stathis' Tavlaridis has proved at Lille that he is one of the most reliable young defenders around.

Signed from Greek club Iraklis for £600,000 in 2001, he made just one Premiership appearance for the Gunners before northern France became his second loan destination, following an earlier spell at Portsmouth.

Tavlaridis had been a fan of the French game since following Ligue 1 on television as a child, but Wenger's close ties with Lille boss Claude Puel - one of his former players at Monaco - were ultimately the decisive factor in the deal. And Puel could hardly have asked for a better gift from his old friend and mentor. "Our squad was lacking leaders with a bit of character," he says. "But Stathis loves giving orders. He makes himself heard on the pitch and in the dressing room, and he's not afraid of shouting at his teammates."

His debut against Paris Saint-Germain in January 2004 was soured by an own goal, but commanding displays in partnership with Eric Abidal soon had the critics raving. Using his 6'1" frame to powerful effect, the Serres-born stopper is a no-nonsense tackler prepared to fight for the full 90 minutes.

"Ever since I've played football, I've played with a lot of heart. I may not have great technique, but I give everything I've got and I never shy away from making a hard challenge. Sometimes, I probably seem a little too aggressive!"

Abidal's departure to Lyon made the northerners even more determined to hold on to their latest find, but talks in the summer of 2004 were hampered by late interest from PSG, who succeeded in turning Tavlaridis's head. Former Lille boss Vahid Halilhodzic had already swooped to take Stéphane Pichot to the capital and Lille President Michel Seydoux was less than impressed by their latest raid.

The player had already signed a four-year deal with Lille, however, but even that was not the end of the saga. The Greek army called Tavlaridis back to complete his national service, and it took protracted negotiations before he was released from his obligations in August.

The former Under-21 international has not yet succeeded in making the step up to Rehhagel's senior squad, and he admits that watching former teammates Giorgios Seitaridis and Dimitrios Papadopoulos lift the European Championship from a bar stool was a frustrating experience.