- 27 Dec 2024
Former Chelsea starlet Kakuta is attracting interest from several Premier League clubs
Cameron Smith
- Updated: 23 May 2023 08:39 CDT
- 5 min read
Former Chelsea youngster Gael Kakuta has impressed on loan at high-flying Lens in Ligue 1 this season, and his form has attracted interest from many in England’s top flight; could we see him back in the Premier League soon?
Kakuta epitomised Chelsea’s former policy towards youth, heading out to Fulham, Bolton, Dijon, Vitesse, Lazio and Rayo Vallecano on loan, before making a permanent move to Sevilla for £5.4 million in 2015.
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In fact, Chelsea risked a transfer ban to sign him as a 15-year-old, and whilst he broke into the first-team in 2009/10, he never made a lasting impression, despite his immense potential.
Now 29, Kakuta is making waves at RC Lens, where he’s on loan from Amiens, and has helped propel the side to an unlikely sixth place and a shot at European football.
How good has Kakuta been at Lens?
For a journeyman like Kakuta, he’s managed to find his feet in a settled environment at Lens and he’s excelled. This year he’s scored 11 and assisted five in the league and is the highest scoring midfielder in the entire French top flight.
Furthermore, only three players (Florian Thauvin, Memphis Depay and Angel Di Maria) have created more than his 14 big chances this season, and his xG + xA per 90 tally of 0.68 is better than Burak Yilmaz’s, who is propelling Lille to an unlikely title.
His loan move from Amiens will be made permanent this summer for £4.3 million as Lens have secured their status in Ligue 1, but he could already be on the move away as The Daily Mail have reported that several Premier League clubs are after his signature.
Who wants to sign him?
Crystal Palace, Newcastle, Watford and Fulham are reportedly interested in Kakuta, and it’s believed that a fee in the region of £8.6m would be enough to seal the deal.
Fulham’s relegation from the Premier League has been confirmed, so of the four they seem the least likely to land a move, and with Newcastle and Crystal Palace lacking creativity and goals this year (scoring 40 and 36 goals in the league respectively), Kakuta is viewed as the solution.
It would be a bold move back onto English soil for Kakuta, but it could prove him with a chance to redeem himself in the country in which he failed to make a lasting impression.
