A PREMIER LEAGUE cult hero has announced he will join Arsenal as manager.
The 37-year-old forward spent three years in the Gunners’ academy during his youth career.
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Colin Kazim-Richards joined the club from Queens Park Rangers aged 11 in 1998, before moving to Bury in 2001.
He has now returned to north London after a year without a club, confirming the news on social media.
In a post on X, he wrote: “I am delighted to announce that I am officially part of the Arsenal academy coaching team.
“It is an honor to be part of a club so well known for its commitment to excellence and development.”
Kazim-Richards has been a free agent since leaving Turkish side Karagumruk last summer.
The club was the 18th of his senior career, which included spells in England, Turkey, France, Greece, Holland, Scotland, Brazil and Mexico.
He also won 37 caps for Türkiye, scoring two goals and taking part in Euro 2008.
Of its 18 clubs, five were in England, most recently spending two years at Derby between 2020 and 2022.
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The striker also spent a season in the Premier League with Sheffield United, scoring once in 27 appearances in the 2006/07 season.
However, he was also part of a bizarre transfer when he left Bury for Brighton in 2005.
Colin Kazim-Richards Career Statistics
2004-05 – Bury – Three goals in 32 games
2005-06 – Brighton – Six goals in 45 games
2006-07 – Sheffield United – One goal in 29 games
2007-11 – Fenerbahçe – 11 goals in 104 games
2010 (Loan) – Toulouse – Two goals in 18 matches
2011-13 – Galatasaray – Seven goals in 35 games
2012 (Loan) – Olympiacos – One goal in nine games
2012-13 (Loan) – Blackburn – Five goals in 31 matches
2013-2015 – Bursaspor – Two goals in 21 matches
2014-15 (Loan) – Feyenoord – 13 goals in 37 matches
2015-16 – Feyenoord – One goal in 12 games
2016 – Celtic – Two goals in 13 games
2016-17 – Coritiba – Three goals in 25 matches
2017-18 – Corinthians – Two goals in 33 games
2018-19 – Lobos BUAP – Three goals in 10 matches
2019-20 – Veracruz – Nine goals in 30 matches
2020 – Pachuca – Six goals in 16 matches
2020-22 – Derby – 12 goals in 63 matches
2022-23 – Karagumruk – One goal in 19 matches
2007-15 – Türkiye – Two goals in 37 matches
Honors – Dutch Cup, Turkish Super Lig, 3x Turkish Super Cups, Scottish Premiership, Greek Super League, Greek Cup, Brazilian Serie A
The Seagulls looked set to lose out to Wigan for the 18-year-old’s signature.
But Brighton instead completed the £250,000 deal after a fan won a competition organized by EFL sponsor Coca-Cola.
The competition saw fans take part in a prize draw, with the winning club receiving £250,000 from the transfer fund.
As a result, Kazim-Richards was nicknamed the “Coca-Cola Kid” by fans before scoring six goals in 45 appearances for Brighton.
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