Johan Djourou

On 23 January 2020, Djourou completed a free transfer to Sion for the rest of the Swiss Super League season. He was one of nine players dismissed on 20 March for refusing a pay cut during the coronavirus pandemic.

On 21 July 2018, Djourou signed with Italian Serie A club S.P.A.L. on a one-year contract with an option for a second year. He made just six appearances before leaving by mutual consent in January 2019.

Djourou was part of Vladimir Petković's 23-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. He played only the 1–0 loss to Sweden in the last 16 at the Saint Petersburg Stadium, where he filled in for the suspended Fabian Schär.

On 7 August 2017, Djourou completed a free transfer to Antalyaspor after the expiry of his contract with Hamburg. He signed a two-year contract with an option to extend the deal by 12 months.

On 9 October 2015, Djourou scored his only other international goal in a 7–0 win over San Marino in St. Gallen for UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying, netting a penalty kick after Fabian Schär was fouled. The result took the Swiss to the finals in France. In the summer's tournament, he played all four games of a run to the last 16.

In April 2014, Hamburg confirmed that they had activated the buying clause and signed Djourou on a permanent deal.

He played as a defensive midfielder in his youth for former club Étoile Carouge, but when he arrived at Arsenal, he was converted to a central defender. He occasionally filled in at full back for Arsenal and played several games in central midfield while on loan to Birmingham City. He spent time on loan at Hannover 96 in 2013 before joining fellow Bundesliga team Hamburger SV, initially on loan, later that year. After three years with Hamburg he went on to play for Turkish Super Lig club Antalyaspor, SPAL of Serie A, and most recently for Swiss Super League club Sion.

On 3 January 2013, Djourou confirmed that he was set to move to Bundesliga club Hannover on loan until the end of the season, with no option to buy included in the deal. He said, "I joined the club who wanted me the most. At my age, the priority is to play regularly. To do this, I did not hesitate to refuse offers with the most exclusive clubs who made important financial efforts."

On 1 July 2013, Djourou undertook a medical before signing for Bundesliga side Hamburger SV on loan for a season. It was reported that this time, the deal did include an option to buy. He said: "I'm very happy now that everything is sorted. HSV are a big club, with a lot of quality and great fans. I am convinced that this is the right step for my career."

Due to Thomas Vermaelen's injury at the beginning of the 2010–11 campaign, Djourou received more opportunities to play. Wenger admitted that he rotates the Swiss international because he missed an entire year and does not want to lose him. Djourou became Arsenal's first-choice centre-back, playing in all eight games in January 2011, during which time Arsenal conceded no Premier League goals. He scored his first goal for Arsenal on 5 February, in the third minute of a 4–4 draw against Newcastle United at St. James' Park. On 27 February 2011, Djourou started and played the full 90 minutes alongside Laurent Koscielny against Birmingham City in the 2011 Football League Cup Final held at Wembley Stadium in a 2–1 defeat.

On 12 March, while playing in the quarter finals of the FA Cup away to Manchester United at Old Trafford, Djourou suffered a suspected dislocated shoulder in a collision with teammate Bacary Sagna. Djourou was carried from the field and Wenger later confirmed that he would be unavailable for the remainder of the 2010–11 season. This came as a major blow to Arsenal's title challenge, up until then having not lost a Premier League game with him on the field. As well as that Djourou had played a major part in defence in cover of the injured Vermaelen. Djourou recovered more quickly than expected, returning to play the whole of the 1–1 draw with Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium on 17 April, playing alongside Koscielny, and the North London Derby three days later. On 24 April, against Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok Stadium, he conceded a penalty (missed by Kevin Davies) in a 2–1 defeat which effectively ended Arsenal's title hopes. At the end of the 2010–11 season, he played in a total of 37 matches for the Gunners in all competitions. On 28 August 2011 Djourou played in the centre of a young Arsenal seriously weakened by injuries for a match against Manchester United at Old Trafford. Arsenal lost 8–2, in what was their heaviest defeat since 1896, a 115-year record. Three days later Arsenal announced the signing of experienced German defender Per Mertesacker from Werder Bremen, and Djourou's first team opportunities became more limited. In February 2012, Djourou signed a three-year contract extension until summer 2015. During the 2011–12 season, he started 19 times for Arsenal and made 8 substitute appearances.

In March 2010, Djourou appeared on Arsenal TV Online's 'Arsenal Live' programme. He announced that he was getting closer to a return: "I am nearly at the end. It has been a long road for me and I am really looking forward to being back on the field." He made his return from injury as a second-half substitute in the 4–0 win over Fulham in Arsenal's final game of the season. Djourou replaced the injured Mikaël Silvestre and this was his only appearance in the 2009–10 campaign.

After Touré's departure to Manchester City, Djourou had a chance to break into the starting eleven. However, on 11 April 2009, in a league match against Wigan Athletic, Djourou suffered a knee injury which later required surgery. In September 2009, his club estimated a recovery period of six to eight months; Arsène Wenger stated: "He will have to be patient this season."

After missing nearly the entire season for Arsenal in 2009–10, he was left out of the Swiss squad for the 2010 World Cup held in South Africa. For the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, he played all four games as the Swiss reached the last 16.

In May 2008, Djourou stated that he would be willing to partner Cesc Fàbregas in midfield after the departure of Mathieu Flamini to A.C. Milan. Instead, he played in the centre of defence as first choice backup following the departure of fellow Swiss defender Philippe Senderos to A.C. Milan on a season-long loan. In September, Djourou signed a new long-term contract.

Djourou's younger brother, Olivier, was playing football for Urania Genève Sport in 2008.

He played in Arsenal's 2007 pre-season Emirates Cup win, against both Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain.

On 10 August 2007, he signed for Birmingham City on loan for five months. He made his debut two days later against the previous season's FA Cup and League Cup winners Chelsea. This was a closely fought contest in which Chelsea ran out eventual 3–2 winners, in which Djourou cleared off the line from Frank Lampard to keep Birmingham City in the game.

Djourou continued to play for Birmingham consistently through his loan period until 22 December 2007, when he gifted Bolton Wanderers' Nicolas Anelka a goal via an errant throw-in. This marked his last appearance for the club. Although Birmingham manager Alex McLeish was keen to retain him, Djourou returned to Arsenal at the end of his loan spell, as cover for Kolo Touré and Alex Song who were playing in the 2008 African Cup of Nations.

On 11 September 2007, Djourou scored his first international goal to equalise near the end of a 4–3 loss to Japan in a tournament in Austria. He was named in the Swiss squad for their co-hosting of UEFA Euro 2008, but did not play.

Djourou made his international debut for Switzerland in March 2006, and went on to earn over 75 caps. He represented the nation at three FIFA World Cups and two UEFA European Championships.

In February 2006, Djourou played in the league games against West Ham United, Birmingham City and Bolton Wanderers. In April 2006 he came on as a substitute against Aston Villa in Arsenal's 5–0 victory, replacing the injured Emmanuel Eboué. He started April's premiership game against Portsmouth, a game which also saw the comeback of Sol Campbell. During this season, several Italian clubs (including Juventus) scouted Djourou in Arsenal's reserve matches (his contract was to expire at the end of the 2006–07 season), but after the end of the World Cup, he signed a six-year contract extension with Arsenal.

Djourou made his senior Switzerland international debut in a friendly away to Scotland on 1 March 2006. He came on as a half-time substitute for Valon Behrami in the 3–1 win. He was called up to the Switzerland 2006 FIFA World Cup squad, despite not playing in the qualifiers. He started Switzerland's round of 16 game against Ukraine, and was substituted injured in the first half. Later that year, he made two appearances during Switzerland's qualification campaign for the UEFA U21 Championship, but did not appear for the Swiss U21 squad since.

Djourou made his first senior start for Arsenal in a 3–1 victory against Everton in the League Cup, having made his first appearance after 89 minutes of the corresponding match in the previous round against Manchester City on 27 October 2004. He made his full Premiership debut for Arsenal in the 7–0 victory over Middlesbrough on 14 January 2006, playing at centre-back with Philippe Senderos. Djourou started Arsenal's FA Cup fourth round clash with Bolton Wanderers as part of a makeshift defence, a game in which Arsenal lost 1–0. He had also played in the third round clash with Cardiff City.

Djourou was born in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, to Ivorian parents Joachim and Angeline, and was later adopted by his father's first wife, Danièle, a Swiss woman. They moved to Geneva when he was 17 months old. He enrolled at the Payerne Training Center when he was 13 and then, in 2002, he joined local second division side Étoile Carouge as a midfielder at 15. He joined Arsenal on 1 August 2003. He was a member of the Swiss under-19 squad that reached the semi-finals of the 2004 European Championships.

Danon Issouf Johannes Djourou Gbadjere (pronounced [dʒuʁu] ; born 18 January 1987), known as Johan Djourou, is a professional footballer who plays as a centre back. According to his profile on the website of his former club Arsenal, Djourou possesses "pace, power and whole-hearted commitment" in addition to his versatility.