Kakuta: France's most promising player
TEAMtalk.com
Latest
Premier League |
Blues chief defends Kakuta signing
Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon has insisted the club's controversial signing of teenager Gael Kakuta was not "child trafficking".
|
|
The London club have been banned by FIFA from making any new signings for two transfer windows after being found guilty of inducing Kakuta to breach his contract with Lens in 2007, when the winger was 16.
Chelsea are appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, and Kenyon said there had been shock throughout the sport at the ban.
FIFA and UEFA both want to outlaw international transfers of players aged under 18, and the bodies' presidents Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini have respectively referred to the practice as being akin to "child slavery" and "child trafficking".
But Kenyon said: "It was something that happened two years ago that was in no way child trafficking.
"I think you've also got to distinguish between the issues."
The Chelsea chief executive added that Kakuta, now 18 and viewed as France's most promising young player, had also been stunned by FIFA's verdict.
He added: "He wants to play his profession, which is football.
"We need to take account for that and understand this is something that happened two years ago, and make sure we've got enough support around him to ensure he's fully supported at a difficult time."
Kenyon, speaking after a meeting of the European Club Association (ECA) in Geneva, insisted Chelsea would support a ban on the international transfers of players aged under 18.
He said: "This has been talked about for the last 12 months and we have signed up fully to the ECA and UEFA's position, along with FIFA's.
"We need to separate our overall position with the specific case. The fact we are appealing tells you our position."
Evertonia : "...Well! Maybe, Joe Royal is right. Maybe a ground share would work for Everton and Liverpool? Infact, I'm pretty sure it would work great. Their is absolutely nothing to lose for both parties. I guarantee both club will fi..." view full comment
Paper Talk: Fergie keen on Kjaer
Palermo defender Simon Kjaer is a target for Manchester United, while Chelsea are set to beat West Ham to the signing of Antonio Candreva.
More from today's press
Benitez: Should he stay or go?
Rafael Benitez is under heavy fire following Liverpool's Champions League exit - TEAMtalk's Mark Holmes considers whether he should stay or go.
Read today's Column
rblake1972 (-1) : "...Here's a real one from the man who told you about Modric going to United and Obi Mikel.Will happen later.Mohamed Diarra is being fought over by Wenger snd United( forgotten man is Alex's little surprise...." view full rumour
Related Links
Don't miss these
| LATEST PHOTOS | TT COLUMN | COMPETITIONS |
 |
|
|
| Go to the Gallery | Benitez: Should he stay or go? | Free to enter! |
Free Bet | Casino | Poker | Bingo
More Stories
Your Comments
dan1990 (Chelsea fan)
"its fine to drag him over from africa but when he gets offered a decent wage with a famous club that can provide him with a bright future, now thats just stepping over the line."
Sixfields (Northampton Town fan)
"Yes its Lens who should be held & punished all Chelsea did was to sign him in order too help him become a better player,"
matsz10 (Arsenal fan)
"poor "child" has got so much pressure on him to be a good player after the amount of publicity that this ban has given him. France's most promising youngster gets banded around far to freely...i think this may be a smoke screen to cover up the fact Chelsea have been done good and proper! I wonder if this ban will be upheld and secondly how much this will effect chelsea's future success?!"
migaloo (Arsenal fan)
"That Kenyon is soo slimey........."
cfc36 (Chelsea fan)
"I agree with FIFA's decision to outlaw all overseas transfers on u18s. It is however a shame that they felt the need to have a poster boy of blame for this decision. They could have just implemented this without singling out Chelsea as the only culprit! (We may be guilty, we may not be, but we aren't the only offenders by a long shot!) The downside of this ban is that players from poorer countries lacking proper facilities will have their development hampered! This is a very delicate subject!"
chelsea71 (Chelsea fan)
"Very few CFC or opposing fans trust or like Kenyon. He comes across as smug, arrogant and talks out of his backside. I believe that it was him that c4/5 years ago said CFC would balance the books within 5 years. This is so wildly innacurate and does not inspire confidence. However, everyone deserves the benefit of doubt as I also lack confidence in UEFA. If we are in the wrong and the ban is upheld then the guily parties should be sacked, no questions. This would happen in any corporate organisation for a cock up of this scale which could be quite damaging, especially the summer transfer window."
manutd1101 (Manchester United fan)
"Trafficing is what Lens did importing the kid from africa! if any one should be punished for trafiking it should be Lens!!"
All comments on this story
The Chelsea Your Say main pageThe General Your Say main page