The creative Peruvian dead-ball expert and king of the crossers, joined West Ham United via a free transfer from Newcastle United on August 2007 deadline day.

Born in Callao on the outskirts of Lima, Solano was the youngest of six children, whose father Albino was a sailor in the Peruvian navy. Playing football on the streets at every opportunity, the young Solano had a trial with Alianza Lima as an eleven-year-old, and three years later he represented his country, in central defence, at youth level.

In 1992, he moved across the Peruvian capital to sign professional terms with Sporting Cristal but, just half-a-dozen games later, he then headed to another top-flight side, Deportivo Municipal, where he was given more first-team opportunities.

After winning his first full cap as an 18-year-old, 'Nobby' rejoined Sporting Cristal and helped them to a hat-trick of championship titles. In 1997, he made it to the final of Copa Libertadores - the South American Champions League equivalent -- where the Peruvians lost to Brazilian side, Cruzeiros.

By now, though, Solano's burgeoning reputation had brought him to the attention of the continent's big boys and, in 1997, he moved to Argentinian giants, Boca Juniors, where he lined up alongside Diego Maradona on the way to claiming runners-up spot in the championship.

Over in Europe, both Arsenal and Newcastle United were taking a keen interest, too, and in August 1998, Kenny Dalglish persuaded Solano to move to St. James' Park in a £2.48m deal.

He made his Magpies debut in a 1-1 draw at Chelsea. Within two months, Ruud Gullit had taken charge and, in an eventful first season, he collected an FA Cup runners-up medal following a disappointing 2-0 defeat by Manchester United at Wembley.

The 1999 arrival of Bobby Robson steadied the St James' Park ship but after helping Newcastle to back-to-back Champions League qualifications, fans' favourite Solano - who had scored 38 goals in 234 outings for the Magpies - moved to Aston Villa for £1.5m in January 2004, to the dismay of the Geordie supporters.

A self-confessed adopted Tynesider, the talented trumpet player had even formed his own 15-piece salsa band - The Geordie Latinos.

After making his Villa debut in a stunning 5-0 win at Leicester City, the impish South American ace was to prove equally popular in the Midlands, too, scoring nine times in 52 outings.

Indeed, weighing in with those nine goals during the 2004/05 campaign, he subsequently finished the season as joint top-scorer alongside Juan Pablo Angel, to win a string of club awards.

By now, though, Graeme Souness had taken over at Newcastle and the new boss boosted his flagging popularity in August 2005 by re-signing the silky Solano for the same £1.5m that the Geordies had received some 18 months earlier.

Second time around, Solano was successfully deployed in a more defensive right-back role but he still managed to find the net on ten occasions in 81 matches.

But upon being alerted to his availability in August 2007, Alan Curbishley could not resist the opportunity to re-unite the sublime South American - who has also netted 20 goals in 77 international outings - with former St James' Park team-mates, Scott Parker, Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer on a one-year (plus one-year option) deal.

He had to wait for his debut but when it came on 21 October, Solano was quickly in the groove. He came off the bench with the score level at 1-1 against Sunderland to force an own goal from Craig Gordon that paved the way for a 3-1 victory. His first goal was a free-kick in the 5-0 win at Derby County and he quickly settled into the role of the club's first-choice set-piece taker.