Gael Kakuta: Forgotten Chelsea wonderkid now with Congo at AFCON

• Once dubbed the ‘most gifted player of his generation’, the name Gael Kakuta rings a bell to many football fan
• From being compared to Frank Lampard to struggling for game, it’s quite sad how things went south for Kakuta
• Now aged 32, Kakuta is still kicking the ball but many don’t know his whereabouts

Once dubbed the ‘most gifted player of his generation’, the name Gael Kakuta rings a bell to many football fans. Kakuta was a darling to many Chelsea fans, but despite all the hype and praises he got, he turned out to be one of those talents that were unable to take the next step at Stamford Bridge.

Within no time, the football world, or let’s say Chelsea fans, had completely forgotten about Kakuta. From being compared to the legendary Frank Lampard to struggling for game time in La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1, Eredivisie and even China, it’s quite sad how things went south for Kakuta.

Gael Kakuta. Photo/ Goal.com.

Now aged 32, Kakuta is still kicking the ball but many don’t know his whereabouts. Well, if you watched the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) match between DR Congo and Zambia, then you must have seen someone in the midfield with jersey number 14 written Kakuta. Yes, that’s him and he will back in action today as DR Congo takes on Morocco.

So, how exactly did Kakuta fall off and which club does the ex-France youth play for now? Stay with us as we take a look at Gael Kakuta’s football journey.

The Rise Of Gael Kakuta 

Born in France, Gael Kakuta fell in love with football at a young age. Seeing his uncle play for the reserve team of Lille, Kakuta had that motivation to become a pro one day. He began playing with local clubs such as US Lille-Moulins and was soon at Lens academy.

While at Lens, the youngster showed signs of becoming one of the best, something that prompted Premier League giants Chelsea to risk a transfer ban by signing him. Kakuta was just 15 years old when the Blues signed him in 2007, and there were consequences for the transfer. Two years later, Chelsea were given a two-window transfer ban for the transfer and Kakuta was banned for four months by FIFA and fined €780,000 for breaching his contract with Lens.

Luckily for both parties, all punishments were later lifted by the Court of Arbitration. But the spotlight was now on Gael Kakuta, with many wanting to see what this teenager Chelsea risked a ban for had to offer on the pitch.

Things were going well with Kakuta at Chelsea’s academy. The pace, the passing and the trickery on the flanks were superb. The coaches at the academy believed in Kakuta and almost everyone who saw him play knew he would become one of all-time greats. In fact, he was regarded as one of the most talented youngsters in the world, according to SPORTbible.

During the 2009-10 season, Carlo Ancelotti who was at the time the manager of Chelsea handed Kakuta his debut. He played in the Premier League and also made a mark in the Champions League. But Chelsea had some of the best players in the world at that time, which made it difficult for him to feature regularly.

Gael Kakuta. Photo/ Suara.com.

In the end, Kakuta was swallowed by the nightmare that almost all Chelsea youngsters faced – being sent out on loan. Once you went out, there was very minimal chances of you coming back and featuring for the Blues.

Gael Kakuta The Football Journeyman 

In December 2010, Gael Kakuta penned a new five-year contract with Chelsea. During the 2011 January transfer window, he was sent on loan to Fulham, which was the start of his spells with several clubs. Before leaving Chelsea on a permanent transfer, he had also spent time on loan at Bolton Wanderers, Dijon, Vitesse, Lazio and Rayo Vallecano.

With his loan spells, the name Kakuta was no longer on the lips of Chelsea fans. Well, you can’t really blame the fans for forgetting about him because out of sight out of mind. During the 2015 summer window, Chelsea finally let go of Kakuta, with the youth academy star joining La Liga club Sevilla.

While it didn’t work out for him at Chelsea, those who remember his rise can’t still comprehend how he quickly disappeared after his spell at Sevilla. Kakuta would go on to play for Chinese Super League club Hebei China Fortune, with the club loaning him out to Deportivo La Coruna.

Gael Kakuta has played for over 13 teams. Photo/ Footballghana.

The midfielder also spent time at Amiens and Lens and is currently back at Amiens for a third time. The football journeyman did represent France at various youth levels but never had the golden chance to play for the senior team. Since 2017, he has been playing for DR Congo at international level and has so far racked up 14 appearances, scoring three goals.