Barcelona have completed the signing of in-demand Montreal Impact starlet Ballou Jean-Yves Tabla, the club have confirmed.
Tabla has signed a three-year contract at Barca B with a release clause of €25m, but there is a further two-year option which would also triple such a clause.
Chelsea were also said to be monitoring the situation of the 18-year-old striker, who has played Under-20 football for Canada.
Born in the Ivory Coast, the teenager has already scored two goals in Major League Soccer for the Canadian franchise and is able to play on both flanks as a winger.
“This first transfer is an important moment in the history and evolution of our club,” Montreal Impact president Joey Saputo said, as cited by ESPN.
“We take a lot of pride in seeing a young player, developed in our academy, climb the ladder all the way to the first team and realise his dream to play in Europe with a big club like Barcelona.”
Earlier this week, Diario Sport report the Blaugrana’s negotiations as being at an ‘advanced stage’ while Washington Post correspondent Steven Goff also confirmed the links on social media.
Montreal's sporting director Adam Braz confirmed that they were in “discussions with a club about a permanent transfer,” before Barca confirmed the news on Thursday.
Tabla scored 8 goals and assisted a further 5 during his first season in the MLS last year and he becomes Barca B’s fourth winter arrival following deals for Martin Hongla, Christian Rivera and Nahuel.
Image via Journal Metro
