Forgotten Chelsea wonderkid dubbed ‘most gifted player of his generation’ set for transfer move to 14th club

FORMER Chelsea wonderkid Gael Kakuta, who was once described as “the most gifted player of his generation,” is set to join the 14th club of his career.

Kakuta, 32, is attracting interest from LaLiga side Granada after starring for DR Congo at the Africa Cup of Nations, according to French Football Weekly.

Graham Hughes - The Times

Gael Kakuta was tipped to be one of the most important players of his generation[/caption]

Reuters

Kakuta is currently starring for DR Congo at Afcon[/caption]

Kakuta signed for Chelsea from Lens as a 16-year-old in 2007 under highly controversial circumstances.

Chelsea’s scout at the time, Guy Hillion, encouraged Chelsea to sign the youngster after describing him as “the most gifted player of his generation”, and he was drafted into The Blues’ Cobham academy set-up.

Kakuta starred while in the Chelsea academy, winning Academy Player of The Year in his maiden season at the club.

He also drew praise from Michael Ballack, who played with Kakuta in Chelsea’s reserves while recovering from an injury.

He told journalists at the time: “Go see the French lad, he’s a star”

But in 2009, when Kakuta was promoted to the Chelsea first team, Fifa investigated the transfer that brought him to West London in 2007.

It was found that Chelsea had illegally encouraged the youngster to break his contract with Lens and The Blues’ were slapped with a two window transfer ban.

Kakuta was also banned from football for four months and slapped with a £665,000 fine, hardly an ideal start to his Chelsea career.

AFP or licensors

Kakuta currently plays for Amiens in Ligue 2[/caption]

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Those prosecutions were eventually overturned after Chelsea appealed the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

To make matters worse, Kakuta suffered a double leg break while playing for the Chelsea reserves that year.

The midfielder would go on to make 16 appearances for The Blues’ first team between 2009 and 2015 but his career at The Bridge was dominated by loan spells.

Kakuta went on loan six times before eventually leaving for Sevilla in 2015.

The Congolese midfielder then underwent a journeyman career which saw him play in the doomed Chinese Super League at one point between 2016 and 2018.

Now in his 30s, the midfielder finally appears to be settled now he’s an established international, and Granada see him as an important signing as they look to stave off LaLiga relegation.

He switched his allegiance from the French national team to represent DR Congo in 2017 and has represented his country 19 times.

DR Congo take on Egypt tomorrow at 8pm in the Afcon round of 16.