"Zakuani contacted me out of the blue and he was in London. It was a very random trip; he just wanted to watch players that potentially could play for Congo."
"We thought it was the right sign to strike. We put our offer on the table. We had all his paperwork ready to sign and he agreed."
"I think that was his last opportunity maybe to play for England. He knew that we really wanted him."
"Zakuani, who recruited him in his role as a consultant for the country's federation, played at three Africa Cup of Nations for the Democratic Republic of the Congo."
Gabriel Zakuani met Sebastien Desabre in a Costa Coffee in Purley to discuss potential players for the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Zakuani contacted Aaron Wan-Bissaka's family about changing his nationality to play for DRC. Wan-Bissaka switched allegiances in August 2022, joining other players Zakuani helped recruit. DRC aims to qualify for the World Cup, with Zakuani's efforts potentially leading to their first appearance in over fifty years. Wan-Bissaka's decision was seen as a significant opportunity for his career.
#gabriel-zakuani #aaron-wan-bissaka #democratic-republic-of-the-congo #football-nationality-switch #world-cup-qualification
Read at www.theguardian.com
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