Joe Cole says player Chelsea once sold for just £2.5m was the best wonderkid he ever saw

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Joe Cole has shared that the best wonderkid he ever came across in football was at Chelsea. However, we think the individual he picked will shock plenty of fans.

Without a doubt, Joe Cole was a wonderkid in his own right, coming through at West Ham before ending up at Chelsea.

The retired winger played at Stamford Bridge between 2003 and 2010, cementing his legacy in Blues history.

Claude Makelele once named Cole his best ever teammate, which is a ringing endorsement from a fellow Chelsea great. As time has progressed, it feels like the English playmaker has fallen into the category of severely underrated players.

• READ MORE: Joe Cole named former Chelsea boss as the best manager he ever worked under

Joe Cole claims forgotten Chelsea man Gael Kakuta was the best wonderkid he saw

Gael Kakuta, who’s now aged 34 and playing for Sakaryaspor in Turkey, was once tipped for huge things when he was a youngster at Chelsea.

According to Cole, Kakuta was the best teenager he ever saw during his career, sharing that he lit up some Chelsea training sessions.

When asked for the best wonderkid he ever saw, Cole told talkSPORT: “There was a kid I saw at Chelsea. He didn’t actually kick on; his name was Gael Kakuta. He joined in with us on a few occasions, and he was amazing. He broke his leg in a game at Cobham and was never quite the same player. He trained with us for about two or three weeks, and he was unbelievable.”

Unfortunately, Kakuta only played 16 first-team matches in Chelsea colours, with his injury setback halting his progress.

Sevilla eventually signed Kakuta from Chelsea for just £2.5m (The Guardian) in 2015. It’s a classic case of what might have been for the former wonderkid, who’s been on quite a journey in his football career to date.

What Eden Hazard previously said about Gael Kakuta

Last year, Chelsea legend Eden Hazard recalled the unbelievable skill of Kakuta. Hazard said: “The only player where I said wow was Gael Kakuta. You asked me the most talented player, it was him by far. I think he went a bit too early to Chelsea, at 16 it was a huge step.”

If someone like Hazard praises you so highly, you clearly were doing something right.

It’s such a huge shame for the French winger that he suffered a serious injury, which ultimately derailed his development and career at the highest level.