Who is Gael Kakuta? The most talented player to play with Eden Hazard!

Kakuta
Highly touted
'Obi One Podcast'
Joining controversially
Banned for four months
Perfect first season
First team
16 games
Loan spells
Journeyman
Successful return to Lens
AFCON 2024
Congo
Magical run
Playing in Ligue 2
Kakuta

In a world in which Eden Hazard has played with some of the greatest footballers of a generation, the Chelsea legend named Gael Kakuta as the most talented player he has played with.

Highly touted

According to The Sun, Kakuta joined Chelsea as a highly touted 16-year-old in 2007 and only made 16 appearances for the club in six seasons.

'Obi One Podcast'

Eden Hazard appeared on the 'Obi One Podcast' hosted by former Chelsea player John Obi Mikel and was asked who the most talented player was he had played with.

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"Best players in the world"

The Chelsea legend said: ''In Real Madrid, I played with the best players in the world. For me, [Luka] Modric and [Karim] Benzema are top of the list. When you say Kevin De Bruyne, he's top of the list, when you say [Frank] Lampard he's top of the list."

"Kakuta, by far number one"

''I'm going to give you one name, and John knows the player. The only one I was saying "wow" was Gael Kakuta. You asked me about talent. Kakuta, by far number one. Talent. I mean, talent. Wow.''

Joining controversially

After catching Hazard's eye as a youngster at Lens, Chelsea signed Kakuta under controversial circumstances after breaching his contract at Lens to sign with the London club.

Banned for four months

According to Give Me Sport, Kakuta was banned for four months and fined £665,000 due to the breach of contract. Chelsea was also banned from signing players for two transfer windows, but that was later overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Perfect first season

After serving his ban, Kakuta joined the Chelsea youth system, winning the Academy Player of the Year award in his first season. His performances drew the Congolese winger to Chelsea's first team picture under boss Carlo Ancelotti.

First team

According to Give Me Sport, the 2009/10 season looked destined to be the year Kakuta would flourish in the first team, making his debut against Wolves in November 2009 and playing in his first Champions League game a month later against APOEL.

16 games

In December 2010, the Congolese winger signed a four-and-a-half-year contract with Chelsea until 2015, but only played 16 games in that time. When his contract was close to expiring, he requested to leave Chelsea to get more game time.

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Loan spells

In six seasons under contract at Chelsea, Kakuta bounced around Europe in different loan spells, playing for Vitesse, Lazio, Rayo Vallecano, Dijon, and spells in England with Bolton and Fulham.

Journeyman

Since leaving Chelsea in 2015, Kakuta has had a journeyman career across the globe, playing in China, Spain, and France.

Successful return to Lens

His most successful spell since leaving Chelsea in 2015 was his return to Lens, where he played 69 games, scoring 14 goals and grabbing eight assists, according to Transfermarkt.

AFCON 2024

Where is he now? Kakuta has returned to French Ligue 2 side Amiens after being part of DR Congo's impressive run at the African Cup of Nations, according to The Sun.

Congo

DR Congo made it through to the knockout rounds by the skin of their teeth, finishing with three draws and qualifying second behind Morocco.

Magical run

Kakuta and his DR Congo side had a magical run to the semi-final of the competition, beating Mo Salah's Egypt, then making easy work of Guinea before losing to eventual winners Ivory Coast in the final four.

Playing in Ligue 2

According to The Sun, Kakuta was linked with joining Spanish La Liga side Granada in January, but he has stayed with Amiens, who currently sit in mid-table of Ligue 2.

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