Zakuani leaves Cobblers as Mansfield sign Diamond
Northampton Town have released centre-half Gabriel Zakuani, while his former fellow Cobblers centre-back Zander Diamond will join Mansfield Town.
Zakuani departs just a year after joining Northampton from Peterborough. The club’s manager Justin Edinburgh confirmed that Zakuani’s departure comes following a discussion over the player’s international commitments.
Speaking to the official Northampton Town website, Edinburgh said, “We have been speaking to Gaby and his agent to try and get comfortable with his level of international commitments. Unfortunately we are unable to do that. Gaby is a top professional, we wish him all the very best for his future career and thank him for his efforts at Sixfields.”
Zakuani becomes the sixth player to leave Northampton upon expiry of contract. He follows Adam Smith, Neal Eardley, Emmanuel Sonupe, Paul Anderson and Diamond in leaving the club.
Meanwhile, Diamond has signed for League Two side Mansfield Town. The Cobblers’ Player of the Year has signed a contract of unspecified length with the League Two side.
Stags boss Steve Evans told the Mansfield Town website said, “I became very aware, not only from the representatives of the lad, but from other managers who I speak to on a regular basis, that we were in a fight to secure the services of the big man.
“Our supporters, of course, will know him. He is a dominant centre-back who is vociferous on the pitch, a leader of men. Not only is he Northampton Town’s current Player of the Year, but he is still highly ambitious and wants to be involved in another promotion campaign after his great success under my good friend Chris Wilder.”