TP Mazembe Deny Chasing For Former Aston Villa Ace Jean Makoun

DR Congo giants TP Mazembe have rubbished media rumours about the purported acquisition of former Lyon and Aston Villa midfielder Jean Makoun.

On Wednesday last week, Cameroonian media reported the 36-year-old has joined the Ravens on a one-year deal.

He has been without a club since ending a short spell with Cypriote top-flight club Merit Alsancak Yesilova SK in January.

“The TPM wishes to provide a formal denial about possible contacts or a signature with the former Cameroonian international Jean Makoun,” the club said in a statement.

[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””] “The club generally regrets the publication of erroneous and unverified information to its communications department.   [/perfectpullquote]

“The one about Makoun is one of them. Although the championship is stopped, the management has a sports project on which it is working to prepare for the next season.

“The TPM has never, directly or indirectly, contacted the player concerned who is not involved in this project.”

The former Aston Villa player had earlier been linked with a move to Cameroon’s top-flight side Feutcheu FC of Njiko Bandjoun but the planned switch failed to materialize.

Born in Yaounde, the midfielder began his career at Cotonsport Garoua where he was part of the youth set-up.

He had spells at fellow Cameroon sides, Jeunesse Star and Tonnerre Yaounde, before eventually moving to France to join Lille and then Lyon in June 2008.

From there, the midfielder joined English Premier League side Aston Villa and was immediately loaned to Olympiacos and later to Stade Rennais on a permanent deal.

He later moved to Turkey where he joined Antalyaspor as a free agent before making a move to Merit Alsancak Yesilova SK in Cyprus.

Makoun made his Cameroon debut in 2003 and retired from international football in 2014 with five goals in 68 games for his country.