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Shota Arveladze - Rangers
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Position: Forward
Date of birth: Thursday 22nd February 1973
Age: 29 yrs
Birthplace: Tbilisi, Georgia
Height: 1.81m
Weight: 73kg
Signed from: Ajax
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Georgia forward Arveladze joined Rangers for £3 million in August 2001 after falling out with Ajax when they suspended him for rejecting a new contract.
Arveladze arrived at Ajax in the summer of 1997, after a successful spell at Trabzonspor in Turkey, as the successor to AC Milan-bound Patrick Kluivert. The pressure on the Georgian was enormous but in 1997-98 he responded magnificently with 25 goals.
In his first two campaigns, Arveladze won the Dutch league and Cup and finished as the team's top scorer in 1998. But in 1998-99 he was hampered by injuries and life for the former Dinamo Tbilisi star did not run so smoothly thereafter.
When Danish coach Morten Olsen, who rated the Georgian highly, was sacked and replaced by Jan Wouters, Arveladze's fortunes dipped. Injuries and the introduction of prolific Greek striker Nikos Machlas did not help his cause.
In the 1998-99 season he did, however, enjoy a memorable Uefa Cup night at Udinese, scoring the vital away goal which kept Ajax in the competition.
The international, whose twin brother Archil plays for FC Cologne, found himself on the bench and, by September 2000, said he felt betrayed after turning down several lucrative offers, including one from Italian giants Fiorentina, to stay in Amsterdam.
In July 2001, with just one left year on his contract, he was in talks with the club amid reported interest from Aston Villa and Borussia Dortmund. He was then suspended by the club in August 2001 after refusing to sign a two-year extension. Then Rangers moved in.
In January 2002, his achievements were recognised by Georgian managers, supporters and journalists, who voted him the best Georgian player of the past ten years.
Most Famous For: Being nicknamed Mr Bean because of his resemblance to English comedian Rowan Atkinson.
He Says: "I should stay in the Netherlands for one more year, but I'm thinking about leaving. I can't stand this anymore. I will probably go back to playing in Turkey. This cannot go on, Ajax are one of the greats of European football and a lot of legendary players have played here. But look at it now. If Lazio sold 10-12 of their best players the same thing would happen there. I will try to get a transfer to a better club. I might return to Turkey."
- a onefootball.com exclusive, November 2000
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