Joe Cole factfile

Liverpool midfielder set to return to former club West Ham

Joe Cole appears set to return to where it all began at West Ham. Here, we take a closer look at the former England international

1981: Born Camden, November 8.

1998: Signs professional forms with West Ham.

1999: January - Makes first-team debut in FA Cup tie with Swansea at Upton Park.

May - Helps the Hammers win the FA Youth Cup with two-legged final win over Coventry.

November - Scores first goal for first team in League Cup.

2000: September - Called up to the England squad for a friendly against France in Paris, but fails to play.

2001: February 12 - Scores eight minutes from time in 1-1 Premiership draw with Coventry.

May 25 - Makes England debut as a substitute in 4-0 win over Mexico at Pride Park.

2002: June - Selected in England's World Cup squad. Makes one appearance, as a substitute in the 1-1 draw with Sweden.

2003: June 3 - Scores first goals for England in 2-1 win over Serbia and Montenegro at Leicester.

August 5 - Completes £6.6million move to Chelsea.

2004: June 2 - Named in England's Euro 2004 squad, but fails to make an appearance in Portugal.

2005: February 27 - Starts Carling Cup final win over Liverpool.

May - Wins Premier League with Chelsea having scored eight goals during the season.

September 3 - Scores the only goal as England beat Wales in a World Cup qualifier.

2006: April - Named in the PFA team of the year.

May - Wins Premier League for the second time, again scoring eight goals.

May 8 - Named in England's 23-man squad for 2006 World Cup in Germany.

June 20 - Scores a spectacular goal as England beat Sweden to reach the last 16.

July 1 - Substituted in the quarter-final against Portugal following Wayne Rooney's dismissal.

2007: January - Undergoes surgery on a stress fracture in his foot.

May 19 - Plays the first half of Chelsea's FA Cup final victory over Manchester United.

2008: May - Receives Chelsea player of the year award having scored 10 goals in all competitions.

2009: January 14 - Suffers cruciate knee ligament damage, ruling him out for the rest of the season.

2010: April 3 - Scores opening goal at Old Trafford with a clever backheel as Chelsea earn crucial 2-1 win en route to Barclays Premier League title.

June 27 - Comes on for half an hour as England crash out of the World Cup in the last 16 with a 4-1 defeat to Germany.

July 19 - Signs for Liverpool on a four-year contract.

August 15 - Sent off on his league debut for the club against Arsenal.

2011: August 31 - Joins Lille on a season-long loan, going on to score nine goals in 42 appearances for the French club.

2013: January 3 - Understood to be having a medical ahead of a return to West Ham.