Nickname: RoddersTeam Supported As A Youngster: Everton (Of course!)
Jack Rodwell is a determined central midfielder who has missed a lot of 2011/12 through injury. He has the potential to be one of the country's great midfielder's.
Everton agreed for him to move to Manchester City in the summer of 2012.
Did You Know? Rodwell broke a record on his senior debut becoming the youngest player to represent Everton in Europe when he came on as a substitute against Dutch team AZ at the age of 16 years and 284 days!
Born in Southport, Merseyside and a Everton supporter as a child, Rodwell joined the Everton's youth system at the age of seven, making his Under-18s debut at 14 and his debut for Everton's reserve team at the age of 15.
In March 2008, he appeared as a substitute on his Premier League debut – before also featuring as a replacement in the final game of the season, replacing Tim Cahill in a 1–0 victory over Sunderland, and signed his first professional contract with Everton on 17 March 2008.
He made his first professional start against Blackburn Rovers on 16 August 2008, playing the full 90 minutes. Rodwell scored his first senior goal for Everton in the FA Cup against Aston Villa in February 2009. That same month, he signed a 5-year contract with Everton.
At the beginning of the 2009–10 season, Rodwell earned his first start in European competition in a Europa League game against Czech football club SK Sigma Olomouc. Rodwell marked the occasion by scoring two long-range goals, helping Everton to a 4–0 win.
He scored his first Premier League goal in Everton's 3–1 win against Manchester United. At the end of the season Rodwell signed a five-year contract extension with Everton.
Although Rodwell is primarily deployed as a defensive midfielder, he was regarded as having the potential to become a top centre back early in his professional career. During the second half of the 2009–10 season, Rodwell became regularly employed in more attacking midfield positions.
Rodwell was sent off in the 23rd minute during the 216th Merseyside Derby on 1 October 2011 after making "what appeared to be a legitimate challenge on Suarez", according to the BBC. Everton lodged a successful appeal to the FA to have the penalty rescinded.
Everton accepted a bid from Manchester City for the young midfielder in August 2012 for a undisclosed fee believed by some to eventually be worth up to £16 million.
