Serge Gakpé

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Serge Gakpé
Personal information
Full nameSerge Gakpé
Date of birth (1987-05-07) 7 May 1987
Place of birthBondy, France
Height1.76 m (5 ft 9 1⁄2 in)
Playing positionStriker
Club information
Current clubFC Nantes
Number13
Youth career
1995–2001UMS Pontault-Combault
2001–2004AS Monaco
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2004–2005AS Monaco (res.)38(15)
2006–2011AS Monaco92(9)
2010→ Tours FC (loan)17(5)
2011–FC Nantes57(11)
2012→ Standard Liège (loan)19(1)
National team‡
2002–2003France U-169(0)
2003–2004France U-173(1)
2004–2005France U-1810(0)
2005–2006France U-198(0)
2007–2008France U-216(1)
2009–Togo25(4)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 24 May 2013.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 14 June 2013

Serge Gakpé (born 7 May 1987) is a French-born Togolese football midfielder who plays for French side FC Nantes.

Playing career

Of Togolese origin, Gakpé began his career playing with his local club UMS Pontault-Combault, whom AS Monaco share a partnership with. During his time in Pontault-Combault, he regularly attended sessions at the Clairefontaine academy. After being recommended to the Ligue 1 side by Pontault-Combault and Clairefontaine officials, he agreed to join the principality-based side in 2001.

Despite not having a professional contract to his name, he joined the first-team squad following the winter break of the 2005–06 season making his professional debut in a 1–1 draw against RC Lens on 22 January 2006. Not only did he start the match, but he also scored his first professional goal, scoring it in just the 7th minute.[1] He went on to play in 13 more matches and added another goal to his tally as well.

Serge then signed his first professional contract on 4 January 2007, inking a three-year deal with the club.[2] He has since added another year to the contract, which ties him to Monaco until 2011.[3] Over the next three seasons, his playing time dramatically increased making 76 appearances and scoring 11 goals. His performances have caught the attention of several prominent European clubs such as English sides Sheffield Wednesday, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, and Spanish giants Barcelona.[4] He signed for French Ligue 2 club FC Nantes on 28 January 2011. At the end of January 2012, it was announced that Gakpé had signed for Belgian club Standard Liège on a season long loan.

International career

Even though Gakpé was born in France, he chose to play for the Togolese national team, and was called for the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification against Morocco on 6 September 2009.[5]

References

  1. ↑ Lens v. Monaco Match Report
  2. ↑ Premier contrat Pro pour Serge Gakpé
  3. ↑ Mettre hors jeu les ennemis du football togolais
  4. ↑ Serge Gakpé, la dernière rumeur au Barça
  5. ↑ (French) [http://www.togofootballnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=506&Itemid=70: Togo Football News – Gakpé choisit le Togo]

External links

Togo squad – 2010 Africa Cup of Nations
Togo
Togo were disqualified from the tournament after missing their opening game against Ghana.
Togo squad – 2013 Africa Cup of Nations
Togo
FC Nantes – current squad
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