Bertrand Traore given work permit to play for Chelsea
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Updated 22/06/2015 at 14:24 GMT
Chelsea have finally secured a work permit for 19-year-old forward Bertrand Traore and he will be given the chance to earn a first-team place, according to reports.
Burkina Faso midfielder Bertrand Isidore Traore, 16-year-old and youngest player in this year's Africa Cup of Nations
Image credit: AFP
Traore has been on loan at Vitesse Arnhem for the past 18 months after initially being denied a work permit following his arrival in January 2014, although his association with the club stretches back as far as 2011 when he represented the youth team.
The Burkina Faso international, who was developed by Auxerre, scored 17 goals in 36 appearances for Vitesse last season after moving from the wing to a central position up front.
And as Chelsea continue to plan the signing of Radamel Falcao, Jose Mourinho has received news that Traore will also be at his disposal next season.
Although Burkina Faso’s FIFA ranking is only 66, putting the country outside the theoretical permitted limit for work permits, Chelsea’s application was made before the red line was moved from 75 to 50.
Traore has now played regularly enough for the country to exceed the required 75% of matches over two years and so has qualified for the documentation which enables him to be registered and play for Chelsea in official matches.
According to the Guardian:
He was duly given the green light to return to his parent club and can feature over his current contract. Chelsea will include the 19-year-old in the squad travelling to the US on 15 July for games against New York Red Bulls, Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona, with Mourinho hopeful the forward demonstrates similar form to that which illuminated the pre-season tour of the Far East two years ago.
While the club have already fielded inquiries from across the continent to take the player on another 12-month loan, the manager’s instinct is to retain Traore within the first-team set-up, potentially as a fourth-choice striker or wide option in midfield, which would add to the champions’ options despite the fact the player would not qualify as home-grown having spent his recent career in the Netherlands.
Vitesse coach Peter Bosz has said of the teenager: “Jose Mourinho is crazy about him. If the opportunity is there, they’d prefer to take him back.”
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