Player Profile: Left back Marek Cech

Yesterday Tony Mowbray made 25 year old FC Porto Left back Marek Cech his sixth signing of th summer. Astle Central takes a look at the ins and outs of the career to date of the Baggies new arrival. Born 26th January 1983, Marek Cech already boasts 29 International Caps for Slovakia, scoring 3 international goals.

Born in the town of Trebisov in Czechoslovakia, the 6'0" left back started his professional career in 2000 with Inter Bratislava, where over a four year period he made 71 appearances, scoring just the one goal.

Cech moved to Sparta Prague in 2004, where he enjoyed a short career spell making 18 appearances.  By 2005 this had been enough to impress Co Adriaanse at FC Porto to bring him in as part of a no nonsense defence which enjoyed both domestic league and cup wins.

He had made 78 appearances for FC Porto by the time Mowbray signed up the 25 year old left back yesterday.  His three year spell at Porto brought him just two goals, but his performances earned him high recognition from the Slovakia national team, where he enjoyed regular international football during the qualifying stages for Euro 2008.

Marek Cech joins West Bromwich Albion for a fee of £1.4 million pounds, having signed a deal to keep him at the Hawthorns until 2011.