Auxerre move for Akale
Thursday, January 2, 2003
Article summary
AJ Auxerre have boosted their attacking options by signing striker Kanga Akale from FC Zürich.
Article body
Scoring form
The 22-year-old Akale, who scored five goals for Zürich in the first part of this season's Nationalliga A campaign, has followed a similar route to Auxerre as two other former Swiss-based players, Stéphane Grichting and Benjani Mwarumwari.
Looking to improve
Akale, who has signed a four-and-a-half-year contract, said: "I wanted to find another, stronger league and France is perfect for me. All the more so with Guy Roux as a coach, because you can only improve."
Liverpool test
Akale will increase coach Guy Roux's attacking options as he prepares for the second half of the season, which Auxerre enter in seventh place in the Ligue 1 table and facing a UEFA Cup fourth-round tie against Liverpool FC.
Kapo question mark
However, his arrival does increase speculation about the future of striker Olivier Kapo, who has been linked with champions Olympique Lyonnais.