26 - Gabriel Obertan Profile

Gabriel began his career playing for his local club in Pantin before moving to a higher level joining Paris FC in 2002. After spending a year there, he did what most youths at Paris FC often do and joined Paris-Saint Germain. Following another year of training, he moved to the famed Clairefontaine academy in order to further his development. It was here where he was first spotted by Bordeaux scouts. After a year at Clairefontaine, he moved to Bordeaux to began training with them.

After spending only a year in the reserves, in 2006, Gabriel agreed to his first professional contract, signing a three-year contract. He was promoted to the senior squad for the 2006–07 season and given the number 26 shirt. He made his professional debut in a league match on September 30, 2006, against Valenciennes, at the age of 17, coming on as a substitute playing 15 minutes. Valenciennes won the match 0–2. He scored his first goal on April 22, 2007 against Saint-Étienne in a 2–0 victory scoring the goal during injury time to seal the win. He made a total 17 total appearances that season, 16 of them as a substitute.

The following season, he signed a contract extension and his playing time increased to 26 matches and 2 goals, though he was still limited to mostly substitute appearances, due to the abundance of other strikers manager Laurent Blanc had in his arsenal. For the first half of the 2008–09 season, his play was limited again, though when he did receive playing time, he continually impressed, scoring a brace in Bordeaux's 4–2 win over Guingamp in the Coupe de la Ligue. With Bordeaux contending for a title and Gabriel not likely to receive playing time, Blanc decided to loan him out to fellow Ligue 1 side FC Lorient for the rest of the season, where Blanc believed the player would receive more playing time.

At Lorient, Gabriel made 15 total appearances scoring only one goal in a 3–1 win over Grenoble.

On 6 July 2009, French newspaper L'Equipe announced that Bordeaux president Jean-Louis Triaud had reached an agreement with English club Manchester United for the transfer of Obertan with Triaud stating that an agreement had been reached several weeks ago and that the player had agreed contract terms. The following day, Obertan successfully passed his medical in Manchester and, on 8 July, signed his contract officially making him a Manchester United player. The transfer fee was priced at £3 million with Obertan joining the club on a four-year deal.

• Obertan unsure over Lille link

  Manchester United winger Gabriel Obertan has played down talk linking him with a loan move to French outfit Lille this summer.

• Obertan happy at United

  Gabriel Obertan's agent has rejected reports that the player has handed in a transfer request at Manchester United.

• Obertan demands shock exit from United

  Gabriel Obertan has stunned Manchester United by handing in a transfer request.

• Obertan wants more action

  Gabriel Obertan has declared himself "ready" to play after making his first appearance for Manchester United this season earlier in the week.

• Obertan eyes United recall

  Gabriel Obertan is hoping his hard work in training will lead to a recall to the Manchester United team for the final games of the season.

• Obertan makes United debut

  Gabriel Obertan finally made his Manchester United debut on Monday night after playing 45 minutes of a reserve team game against Oldham Athletic.

• Obertan out for three months

  Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed that new Manchester United signing Gabriel Obertan will be out for at least three months.

• No more signings for United

  Sir Alex Ferguson handed Michael Owen the prized Manchester United number seven shirt and then declared Old Trafford closed for transfer business.

• United sign Obertan

  Manchester United have made their third signing of the summer after finalising a deal for Bordeaux's Gabriel Obertan.

• Obertan has United medical

  Gabriel Obertan is undergoing a medical ahead of his expected transfer to Manchester United from Bordeaux.