While he will go down as the Tigers' first signing during the summer of 2009, Steven Mouyokolo was actually recruited by the Club the previous January.

City agreed a deal to sign the defender during the January transfer window, although he remained with US Boulogne for the remainder of the 2008/09 season and helped the French side clinch promotion to the first division for the first time in their history.

Born in France, Mouyokolo began his career with Chateauroux but having failed to make the first team, he moved on to FC Gueugnon in 2007. After 22 impressive displays, he earned a move to Boulogne and it was there that he courted interest from a number of English sides.

Reports suggested that Arsenal, Wigan and Bolton were among the interested parties, but it was the Tigers who made the first move and snapped up the promising youngster for an undisclosed fee.