Posh centre back Gabriel Zakuani reluctantly placed on the transfer list at his own request.

Peterborough United defender Gabriel Zakuani has been reluctantly placed on the transfer list at his own request after rejecting a new three-year contract with the football club.

The DR Congo international, who has made over 150 appearances for the club, will have his name circulated to clubs. Zakuani joined Posh from Fulham for a fee of close to £500,000 and is a multiple winner of the Player of the Year award at London Road.

He represented his country at the 2012 African Cup of Nations and is set to participate in qualifying fixtures during the summer as he attempts to help DR Congo qualify for the World Cup.  The defender said:

‘I have spent five very happy years at Peterborough, but I am a very ambitious person and I want to play as high as I can in my career. My international career is very important to me and it was a real honour to represent my country in the African Cup of Nations. I want to continue playing for my country and feel I have to give myself every chance of being selected by the national coach. I have always given 100 per cent for the cause and this was a very difficult decision for me to make,’ Zakuani said.

Zakuani moved to Fulham from Leyton Orient for £1 million in 2006. Zakuani has been involved in four promotions in his career, helping Orient and Stoke to promotion before being involved in two promotions at London Road.  He has been at the club for nearly five years.