English clubside Chelsea FC completed the signing of Bertrand Traore on Wednesday, finalising a deal that was agreed in principle last October.
The 18-year-old joins from the Burkinabe side Association Jeunes Espoirs De Bobo-Dioulasso and has signed a four-and-a-half-year deal with the Premier League club.
Traore made his international debut shortly before his 16th birthday.
He impressed on trial during Chelsea’s pre-season tour of Asia in the summer and played a part in all three games, scoring in Malaysia and in Indonesia.
“(Club manager) Jose Mourinho spoke a lot during training and he is one of the best managers. Maybe the best in the world,’’ Traore said after signing.
“He is a very good person and it is a dream for me to work with him. I can now say I am living a dream.
“My favourite players are Juan Mata, Mesut Özil and Eden Hazard. They’re very good players and I am trying to be like them.
“At Chelsea I look to follow the way of some African legends like Didier Drogba, Michael Essien and now Samuel Eto’o,’’ he said.
