Washed-up footballer who racked up huge debt pretending to be Chelsea player facing jail

A FORMER child football prodigy who racked up thousands of pounds of debt pretending to be a Chelsea player is facing a "substantial" jail term.

A former Liverpool prodigy impersonated Chelsea player Gael KakutaChelsea player Gael Kakuta was the target of an impersonator who racked up thousands in bills[ACTION]

Medi Abalimba, 24, who once earned £4,000-a-week and was tipped for stardom, pretended to be Blues midfielder Gael Kakuta when his career floundered.

During one instance he ran up a £25,000 bar tab at a West End club when he claimed he was a "Premier League star and good for the money."

Abalimba pretended to be multi-millionaire Kakuta and spent credit on a lavish lifestyle when his career stuttered after being hit with injury.

He told Manchester Crown Court that his one-time weekly wage of thousands left him with a "wholly unrealistic" understanding of money.

Abalimba today admitted three charges of fraud, taking a Range Rover without consent and making off without paying for £104 worth of petrol.

Almost all of the offences involved him making false representations that he was Chelsea player Kakuta.

Chelsea signed Gael Kakuta when he was a youngster in 2007Medi Abalimba pretended to be Chelsea player Gael Kakuta [EXPRESS]

How will a pre-sentence report assist me in a case which will inevitable be a substantial prison sentence?

Judge Robert Atherton

Judge Robert Atherton agreed to an adjournment in the case until later this month for the preparation of background reports.

He said: "How will a pre-sentence report assist me in a case which will inevitably be a substantial prison sentence?

"I'm not planning a non-custodial sentence."

Abalimba also appeared for five other counts of similar frauds in London and Derby where he claimed to be the Chelsea winger.

Nineteen other offences involving the Congo-born football player, from Burton Street in London, were asked to be considered.

While impersonating Kakuta the ex-football prodigy ran up a £9,600 bill at three luxury hotels in the capital.

He also used credit to spend £5,000 at a bar in Manchester and spent £11,000 on limousines after claiming he had an American Express card.

Abalimba began his career at Crystal Palace and Fulham before he moved to Southend United where he was paid £1,000 a week when he was just 16.

After having trials at Manchester United and Manchester City he moved to Liverpool when Rafa Benitez was in charge and played for the reserves.

Gael Kakuta has been at loan to six different clubs since joining ChelseaMedi Abalimba, who impersonated Gael Kakuta, admitted three charges of fraud [ACTION]

He signed for Derby County in 2009 for a transfer fee of £1.2million.

He was paid £4,000 a week and received £1,000 for appearing as a substitute and £2,000 for a spot in the starting line-up.

But his career was hit by injury and by August 2012 he signed with Farnborough Town for a wage of £300 a week.

He had to supplement his income with part-time work as a taxi firm controller.

Kakuta is currently on his sixth loan spell away from Chelsea after joining the London club in 2007.

He mainly played with the youth and reserve teams during his first two seasons with the club.

Kakuta only has six appearances with the Chelsea first team squad.

He has been loaned to Fulham, Bolton Wanderers, Dijon, Vitesse, Lazio and now Rayo Vallecano.

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