Chelsea flop Gael Kakuta set to be offered second crack at Premier League with three clubs in £8.5m transfer battle
CHELSEA flop Gael Kakuta could be set for a return to the Premier League, according to reports.
The RC Lens forward is reportedly being watched by Newcastle, Watford and Crystal Palace.
Kakuta, 29, has bagged 11 goals and provided five assists for Lens in their first season back in Ligue 1.
He is only on loan from Ligue 2 side Amiens but his performances have ensured his move will become permanent this summer.
Lens will have to fork out £4.3million and an automatic two-year deal will be triggered.
But he may not start the first game of next season for Lens with the English trio eyeing up moves, according to the Mail.
Fulham are also said to have their eye on the situation but they may be hampered by their recent relegation.
Lens are reportedly open to selling – with £8.6m said to be enough to prise him away.
Kakuta came through Lens’ academy before moving to Chelsea in 2007.
He made his senior Blues debut under Carlo Ancelotti in 2009 – the youngest player ever to play for the West Londoners in the Champions League.
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But the transfer was a controversial one with Fifa originally banning the player for four months and fining him £670,000 for breach of contract.
Chelsea were also handed a two-window transfer ban.
But the Court of Arbitration for Sport eventually found Kakuta’s Lens contract was not valid and both parties were exonerated.
However, Kakuta never pushed on at Chelsea and eventually moved to Sevilla after six loan spells away from Stamford Bridge – including one at Fulham.
He played for Chinese outfit Hebei FC under former West Ham and Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini.
He then featured for Spanish side Rayo Vallecano – whose fans recently dressed in hazmat suits to protest against a far right politician’s visit to their stadium.
And then he moved back to France in 2019.
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