Chelsea sign Burkino Faso starlet Bertrand Traore on long-term deal

 
Bertrand Traoré has been rewarded with a four-year contract after impressing during Chelsea's pre-season tour.

Chelsea have signed the teenage Burkino Faso international Bertrand Traoré on a four-and-a-half year deal.

Traoré, who made his international debut as a 15-year-old, has long been on the Blues' radar and impressed during their pre-season tour of Asia, when the attacking midfielder scored a spectacular goal in an 8-1 thrashing of the Indonesia All Stars.

Chelsea were unable to sign Traoré to a permanent deal until his 18th birthday last month, but the paperwork has now been completed.

"Traoré, joining from Association Jeunes Espoirs De Bobo-Dioulasso, is a full international for Burkina Faso having made his debut in September 2011 a few days before his 16th birthday," a Chelsea statement read.

"He has 10 international caps and has scored once ahead of next month's World Cup qualification play-offs in Africa in which Burkina Faso face Algeria.

"In 2011 he helped his nation win the Africa Under-17s championship. An attacking midfielder, Traoré was taken as a trialist on Chelsea's tour of Asia in the summer and played a part in all three games, scoring in Malaysia and in Indonesia."