He became the youngest player ever to play for Liverpool in European competition when he made his Reds debut against Auxerre at the age of 18.

He forged his way into the Liverpool team in 1993/94 and he formed a promising midfield partnership with captain John Barnes in 1995.

Selected for the Euro '96 squad but he picked up an injury against Scotland after a fine substitute performance. His injury hoodoo has since haunted his club career and prevented him from playing at France 98 and Euro 2000.

A superb passer of a football, Redknapp has worked hard to add some steel to his game as well but has never looked convincing as a midfield hardman. The likes of Roy Keane have always seen him off in the heat of physical midfield battles.

Succeeded Paul Ince as Liverpool skipper but 1999/00 was another injury-hit season. Redknapp has never quite lived up to the expectations made of him as a youth and he now is no longer assured of a midfield berth after the signing of Dietmar Hamman, Gary McAllister and the arrival of the nascent Steven Gerrard.

Picked up a knee injury and missed the whole of the 2000/01 season but as club captain was on hand to help lift the FA Cup with Robbie Fowler.

Flew to the USA to under-go surgery and got on the road to recovery.

Made his long-awaited comeback from injury in a pre-season game against Bayer Leverkusen. Made his senior return on the opening day of the 2001/02 season against West Ham and then scored against FC Haka in the Reds' Champions League qualifier.

But again injury hit the star and, having featured in only eight game, he failed to appear after the end of October.

A moved seemed inevitable - if he could prove his fitness - and he was strongly linked witha move to Spurs - where he started his career as a schoolboy.

But when his move came it was swift and out of the blue. Still only 28, he was released by Liverpool on a free transfer on April 16, 2002 - hours later the rumoured move to Spurs was confirmed.

Spurs manager Glenn Hoddle told the club's official website: 'We're absolutely delighted to have him on board. He's a class player, one I had in the England squad when I was manager, an excellent professional and he's joined us on a free transfer.

'We wanted him, he wanted to come, Liverpool kindly said we could talk to him, they knew he was out of contract at the end of the season and they offered him a good contract to stay.