With the first overall pick in the MLS Superdraft, the Seattle Sounders selected 6-foot striker Steve Zakuani, 21, out of the University of Akron.With a rare mixture of speed and skill, Zakuani was the consensus number-one prospect in this year’s draft. Though he will likely need time to adapt to the higher level of competition in MLS, Zakuani’s potential remains sky-high.
However, the English-raised striker’s signing with Seattle was anything but an easy decision.
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Unsurprisingly, the potential seen in the striker by the Sounders did not go unnoticed abroad. Preston North End FC, one of the oldest clubs in English football, reportedly offered Zakuani more money than the MLS could. Zakuani’s brother, Gabriel, plays for Peterborough United in England and some believed the lure of family and money would be too strong for the gifted striker to turn down.
When it came time to make a decision, Zakuani had a difficult choice to make: sign a Generation Adidas contract with MLS or go back to England where his path to soccer stardom began.
In the end, the promise of continued grants for his education and the honor of being the top pick in the MLS draft were too much for Zakuani to resist. As a Generation Adidas player, Zakuani’s contract will not count against the Sounder’s salary cap, and it also assures Zakuani will be able to finish his college education if his playing career doesn't pan out.
Zakuani’s talent is not limited to simply scoring goals. Gifted with the ability to take players on with the ball, Zakuani is technically very strong. He ‘s comfortable going both left to right and right to left with the ball, making his moves hard for defenders to read.
Zakuani has also shown a penchant for sharing the ball with his teammates, and his level of unselfishness on the field shows early maturity for a 21 year old.
Though he was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zakuani moved to England as a small child where he developed into an exciting soccer prospect. Zakuani was a youth team member for the prestigious Arsenal FC Academy from 1997-2002 until he was unceremoniously released at the age of 15.
Arsenal is well known for its player development with current England fullback Ashley Cole one of its most famous graduates. Players such as Jermaine Pennant, David Bentley and Steve Sidwell are also graduates who have represented England’s U-21 team and play in the English Premier League.
Following his exit from Arsenal, Zakuani joined the Independent Football Academy, where he was noticed by Ryan Higginbotham, who was scouting for Akron’s soccer program. Soon after, Zakuani was offered a scholarship to come to the U.S. It was in Ohio that his career really took off.
As a sophomore at the University of Akron, Zakuani not only led the nation with 20 goals but also provided his team with 7 assists and led all Division-1 collegiate players with 47 points. He was named Soccer America’s College Player of the Year and was runner up to Wake Forest’s Marcus Tracy for the Hermann Trophy, the top prize in college soccer.
Despite all the hype, fans should be patient with Zakuani as he learns the demands of the MLS. Though he possesses loads of skill and potential, it could take Zakuani several years to develop into the consistent goal-scorer Seattle envisioned with its pick.
With the helping hands of veterans like Nate Jaqua and Freddie Ljungberg, the sky is the limit for Zakuani. Given time to grow and mature, Zakuani is a star for the future.
Reach Alden Walcon at nextseasonsports@gmail.com
