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Chelsea’s Bertrand Traoré finally granted work permit Chelsea’s Bertrand Traoré finally granted work permit
(35 minutes later)
Bertrand Traoré will have an opportunity to prove he merits a place in Chelsea’s first-team set-up when he travels with the senior squad on their pre-season tour of the United States next month after the Burkina Faso teenager was granted a work permit to play in England.Bertrand Traoré will have an opportunity to prove he merits a place in Chelsea’s first-team set-up when he travels with the senior squad on their pre-season tour of the United States next month after the Burkina Faso teenager was granted a work permit to play in England.
The winger turned centre-forward, who had first alerted Chelsea’s scouts to his talents as a 14-year-old at the Under-17s World Cup in 2009 while he was still being developed by the French club Auxerre, officially signed professional terms on a four-and-a-half-year contract with the Premier League champions in January 2014. The winger turned centre-forward who first alerted Chelsea’s scouts to his talents as a 14-year-old at the Under-17 World Cup in 2009 while he was still being developed by the French club Auxerre, officially signed professional terms on a four-and-a-half-year contract with the Premier League champions in January 2014.
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However, he was unable to feature competitively in the United Kingdom having not played the requisite number of games for his country to qualify for international clearance.However, he was unable to feature competitively in the United Kingdom having not played the requisite number of games for his country to qualify for international clearance.
He has spent the last 18 months on loan at Vitesse Arnhem in the Netherlands, impressing consistently over last season when he scored 17 goals in all competitions to help Peter Bosz’s side finish fifth and win the play-offs for a Europa League place. He has spent the past 18 months on loan at Vitesse Arnhem in the Netherlands, impressing consistently over last season when he scored 17 goals in all competitions to help them finish fifth and win the play-offs for a Europa League place.
His regular involvement with Burkina Faso, including in the African Cup of Nations earlier this year, saw Chelsea reapply for a permit over the course of last season with the Vitesse manager having confirmed his parent club had always intended to bring him back to England. His regular involvement with Burkina Faso, including in the African Cup of Nations this year, saw Chelsea reapply for a permit over the course of last season, with Vitesse having confirmed his parent club had always intended to bring him back to England.
“José Mourinho is crazy about him,” he said. “If the opportunity is there, they’d prefer to take him back.”“José Mourinho is crazy about him,” he said. “If the opportunity is there, they’d prefer to take him back.”
That application has now been successful. Burkina Faso were ranked 66th in the world as of 4 June, inside the existing Football Association regulations when Chelsea submitted the paperwork for the permit, with Traoré, who made his debut at international level at 15, having also featured in over 75% of their senior competitive matches when available over the previous two years.That application has now been successful. Burkina Faso were ranked 66th in the world as of 4 June, inside the existing Football Association regulations when Chelsea submitted the paperwork for the permit, with Traoré, who made his debut at international level at 15, having also featured in over 75% of their senior competitive matches when available over the previous two years.
The FA’s new guidelines for work permit applications, announced by Greg Dyke in March, came into effect on 1 June and Traoré may have struggled to qualify under the more stringent criteria given that eligible ranked nations will be reduced from the top 70 to the top 50, with new appearance requirements depending on the status of the nation. But, with the application having been submitted under the previous system, he was duly given the green light to return to his parent club and can feature over his current contract. The FA’s new guidelines for work permit applications, announced by Greg Dyke in March, came into effect on 1 June and Traoré may have struggled to qualify under the more stringent criteria given that eligible-ranked nations will be reduced from the top 70 to the top 50, with new appearance requirements depending on the status of the nation.
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 side’s pre-season tour of the Far East two years ago. But, with the application having been submitted under the previous system, he was given the green light to return to his parent club and can feature over his current contract.
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 Traoré within the first-team set-up next term, 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. 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.
Chelsea, who will confirm the loan arrival of Radamel Falcao after the Copa America, may yet be without Loic Rémy next season and, while further additions are anticipated in the window, Traoré would offer versatility up front if required. 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 Traoré 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.
Chelsea, who will confirm the loan arrival of Radamel Falcao after the Copa América, may yet be without Loïc Rémy next season and while further additions are anticipated in the window, Traoré would offer versatility up front if required.