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Fullname: Edson Braafheid
aka: Heid
Born: 8 April 1983
Birthplace: Paramaribo, Suriname
Signed: 1 Feb 2010 (loan)
Position: Left-back
Internationals: Netherlends
International Caps: 5 {To be completed at end of career}
International Goals: {To be completed at end of career}

Biog

Edson Braafheid arrived at Celtic Park on a loan deal from Bayern Munich on February 1st 2010. One of three players to join the Bhoys on loan during a hectic transfer deadline day the Dutchman was a very welcome addition to a club still searching for a soloution to the problematic left-back position.

The former PSV man would make his debut for the Hoops on Sunday February 7th in a 4-2 Scottish Cup victory at Dunfermline and he made a fine first impression with a key assist role in two of Celtic's goals. Indeed the new Bhoy - facing plenty of competition - would take the Kerrydalestreet.co.uk Man of the Match award.

Indeed perhaps the only downside to an otherwise exceptional debut was the fact that the players name was misspelt on the back of his shirt!

Braafheid came to Parkhead with a fine pedigree. He grew up and began playing youth football in his home town of Amsterdam. He was spotted by FC Utrecht and signed to the youth side graduating to the senior side in 2003. At the end of his contract there he joined FC Twente on a free and under then manager Fred Rutten he began to make the left back spot his own.

In 2006 he went to the U21 World Cup in Portugal with the Dutch side.The strength of his performances and his all round game in the Eriedivisie started to mark out the young Edson as a star of the future.

When Bayern Munich fired Jurgen Klimsmann and appointed Louis van Gaal, Braafheid was pinpointed by Van Gaal and he made a 2.090 million euro transfer from Holland to the Bavarian giants. However Van Gaals start was poor and Braafheid suffered as one of his Dutrch imnports - the thinking being that he was too light weight for the position.

Having started only five games in 2009/10 Bundesliga season he was allowed to leave and the clued up money had him returning to the Eriedivisie. Both Ajax, and PSV had shown interest, and with the guy hailing from Amsterdam, it looked odds on he'd be strutting his stuff in De Arena. However with a wage burden now spiralling out of control at Ajax, maybe he would be forced to head on down to Eindhoven, and rejoin his old tutor, Fred Rutten, now firmly ensconced in the PSV hot seat.

It was therefore some surprise to see him arrive at Celtic Park to join Celtic on loan for the rest of the season. Edson is now hoping to make the cut for Bert van Marwijk's Dutch squad for South Africa in the summer 2010, but he's still considered as back up to ex-Rangers man Gio van Bronkhorst.

Playing Career

Pre-Celtic Career

Season	Club	Matches	Goals
2003–04	Utrecht	14	0
2004–05	Utrecht	23	0
2005–06	Utrecht	31	2
2006–07	Utrecht	13	0
2006–07	Twente	11	0
2007–08	Twente	32	0
2008–09	Twente	33	1
2009–10	Bayern Munich	5	0

Honours

[Indicate any known awards (player of the year, etc)]

KDS Honours
MOTM Winners 2009-10
07-Feb-10	Dunfermline 2-4 Celtic	Scottish Cup 5th Rd

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Celtic sign dutch defender Edson Braafheid

(1 Feb 2010, Official site)
Newsroom Staff
DUTCH international defender Edson Braafheid has joined Celtic on loan until the end of this season.
The club are delighted to have signed the player from Bayern Munich and he becomes the sixth arrival at Celtic Park during the January transfer window.
Edson Braafheid has won five caps for Holland and the 26-year-old is aiming to secure his place in the Dutch squad for the 2010 World Cup.
He began his career at Utrecht before joining FC Twente in 2007. He moved to Bundesliga side Bayern Munich last summer.