Max Gradel

Max-Alain Gradel (born 30 November 1987) is an Ivorian footballer who plays for Toulouse on loan from Bournemouth and the Ivory Coast national team.

Max received his first call up to the Côte d'Ivoire national team in November 2010. He made his debut for the national side on 5 June 2011. On 30 April 2011, Gradel won both the Fans Player of the Year and Players' Player of the Year awards at Leeds.

Lewisham College Football Academy was Max Gradel's first stop after coming from Paris, France, in 2004, under the tutelage of (then) Head Coach Aaron Jacob, who was one of his early mentors. He attended the Bon Giourno Cup in the Netherlands and the team went on to win the trophy conceding no goals, with Max scoring 12 of 17. He was due to attend the Dallas Cup with the team but was offered a Pro contract and made the decision not to go. "Everything started at Lewisham College," says Max. "We were all good players in the Football Academy; I think I made it a bit by chance."

Max began playing football when he was two years old in the Ivory Coast. After leaving Lewisham College, Max was offered trials with Arsenal, Chelsea, West Ham and Leicester and spent four months with Arsenal before signing with Leicester. From there he moved to Leeds United where he played regularly for the Championship side.