A series of hamstring injuries and suspensions have meant he has been constantly linked with a move away from the club and has never really made a place in the side his own.

Babayaro originally move to Englnd to join Chelsea from Anderlecht for £2.25million in April 1997 - the Blues' record teenage signing. Chelsea beat Inter Milan, Deportivo La Coruna and Juventus to sign the star.

He had scored one of the goals as Nigeria won the gold medal at the 1996 Olympic Games.

Well-known for his somersaulting celebrations, Babayaro made his debut against Slovan Bratislava the European Cup Winners' Cup in October 1997.

He won the FA Cup in 2000 and picked up a runners-up medal two years later.

His Chelsea career was, at times, been hit by injury but he came of age in the 2002/03 season with a number of top displays as Chelsea finished third in the table.

Babayaro went to the 2002 World Cup with Nigeria and played in the first two group games against Argentina and Sweden. But he quit international football after the finals at the age of 23.

The signing of Wayne Bridge in July 2003 suggested he would lose his place in the side, but boss Claudio Ranieri continued to use him as an important squad player.

That was very much the case, with Babayaro playing only six Premiership games in 2003/04, but new boss Jose Mourinho held onto the Nigerian as his second choice left-back.

And he reversed his decision on international football by playing for Nigeria at the African Nations Cup in Tunisia - but he was sent back to England after the opening game for allegedly breaking a curfew.

The emergence of William Gallas as a quality option for the left-hand side of defence meant Babayaro's days were numbered in 2004/05 - especially with his contract up at the end of the season.

Newcastle United moved in to sign him to bolster their creaking defence when the transfer window opened in January. He had featured in only five games for Chelsea that term.

In total, the Nigerian played 197 games for Chelsea, scoring eight goals.

Babayaro made his debut for Newcastle in a 2-0 victory over Yeading in the Third Round of the FA Cup.

But although he's always been a regular squad member he's never made himself a true first choice.