As far as careers go, Gaël Kakuta has had one of the more eclectic around.
The now 29-year-old has played for 13 separate clubs, most of which coming during his time at Chelsea, where he spent seven years yet only made 16 appearances for the first-team.
Now back at Lens (on loan from Amiens SC), the club where it all started for him, the attacking midfielder is having a great season, scoring 11 goals and assisting another five in 34 appearances all the while playing a key role in their successful return to Ligue 1.
He’s the talk of the town in the north of France, and that’s why Onze Mondial sat down with a rejuvenated Kakuta to discuss his career to date, including the many years spent at Stamford Bridge.
Asked about his move to Chelsea at 16, he said: “Like every young player who leaves his starter club for a big foreign side, I saw myself last at Chelsea. It started well, but then there were a few complications. I don’t regret anything, however, I want to make that clear.
“I won’t lie to you, I saw my career go differently. I don’t regret any experience I had, I keep the best of each. Regarding the bad, I feel I am to blame a bit too. I move forward. You can’t go back in time. All these years make the player and the person I am today”.
One of the famous quotes that has followed Kakuta throughout his career is that of Gervair Martel, the current president of Lens, who once said ‘The English killed [Kakuta]’.
Replying to that, the former Chelsea man said: “Yes and no. I am partly to blame, just like Chelsea are. I was loaned constantly, we changed managers every two years. As for me, I was with the France youth teams each summer, so I always returned at the club late and had to prove myself more.
“When I came back, the team was already built. It was always the same speech: ‘Yes, he’s a promising player but I’ve never seen him at training’. So I was either in the reserves or on loan. I always had to start again. The loans kicked off once more and I continued to travel the world”.
Now settled and happy to be back in France, there will be a desire from Lens to try and make the move permanent (they have the option to), especially with Kakuta catching the eye of Premier League clubs once again.
We’ll have to wait and see what comes of it, but if he does decide to return to these shores, there’s a good chance he could face his former team, Chelsea, in the near future.
