Akim Zedadka’s long period of inactivity in French football has come to an end with his move to Polish club Piast Gliwice.
The 29-year-old defender, who had not seen any first-team action for more than six months at Lille, is hoping to reignite his career in the Ekstraklasa after a difficult spell in the French Ligue 1 and Spanish Segunda Division.
Zedadka’s last competitive appearance came on June 3, when he played a half-time role for AJ Auxerre in a 1-3 loss to RC Lens.
Since then, his time with Lille has been limited to watching from the sidelines, having played no matches in Ligue 1.
Following a loan spell at Zaragoza in Spain’s second tier, where he featured in 12 games between February and June 2024, the defender was left without a club role upon his return to Lille.
This period of what he described as “technical unemployment” has now concluded with his transfer to Piast Gliwice, as officially confirmed by Lille on their website.
A Brief Farewell to Lille Lille acknowledged Zedadka’s dedication, despite his limited appearances for the club, and expressed gratitude for his professionalism.
The club’s statement noted that after joining in the summer of 2022 from Clermont Foot 63, Zedadka played in the early part of the 2022-2023 season with Lille before finishing the term on loan at AJ Auxerre.
The following season, he was loaned to Real Zaragoza.
While the French club bid him farewell, Piast Gliwice was eager to announce his signing, offering a six-month contract with the possibility of a one-year extension.
Piast Gliwice’s Ambitious Expectations In his first comments as a Piast Gliwice player, Zedadka expressed his enthusiasm for his new chapter.
I am very happy to have come here,” he said. “I am eager to test my skills in a new league.
I am ready and I want to give one hundred percent for Piast.
I would like to support the team with my game and make us climb higher in the ranking.
I am very ambitious and I want to win a lot of matches.
His contract with Piast Gliwice will run until the end of the current season, with the option for an extension.
The club, currently in 11th place in the Ekstraklasa standings, hopes Zedadka’s experience can help push them higher up the table.
Zedadka has already joined his new teammates in Spain, where they are conducting a training camp until January 24.
His first appearance in the Blue and Red jersey could come during one of Piast Gliwice’s upcoming friendly matches, with the team facing Viktoria Plzen or Ferencvaros.
Zedadka could make his official league debut in February, either against Slask Wroclaw or in a home fixture against Legia Warsaw.
For Zedadka, this move represents a fresh start after a difficult period of inactivity, and he will be eager to prove himself in Poland’s top league.
