Chelsea have reportedly completed the capture of highly-rated 16-year-old Viktoria Koln wonderkid Thierno Ballo, who has already joined the club.
According to The Sun, Chelsea have sealed the capture of Thierno Ballo. The 16-year-old Viktoria Koln prodigy has completed the move to Stamford Bridge, with the player slotting into the Chelsea youth team. The player has, in fact, already represented the defending Premier League champions in a few youth friendlies.
Thierno Ballo is a player who excels while playing off the lead striker, while also being adept at playing as the frontman himself as well as on the right wing.
Ballo joined Viktoria Koln from Bayer Leverkusen in 2016. The forward has been recognised as a prodigy since long, with the youngster making his Under-17 international debut for Austria at the paltry age of 14. Ballo has a record of 4 goals in 15 games for the Austrian Under-17 side.
The 16-year-old is yet to make a single appearance for any senior side, though. Born in Guinea and raised in Austria, the player will now be eager to prove his worth at Chelsea. His career in England has already gone off to a sizzling start, with the player on fire for the club’s youth side in a few friendlies.
Chelsea will this week finalise the signing of Austrian Under-17 international Thierno Ballo, who turns 16 today. He’ll join the Under-18 squad. #CFC pic.twitter.com/WqVv6D51tb
— Chelsea Youth (@chelseayouth) January 2, 2018
The highlight has been a 6-1 win over West Ham, with Ballo scoring 5 of the 6 goals for Chelsea. While this would have surely earned him quite a few turning heads, the player will be eager to kick on from here and have a great campaign under his belt for the youth side, which could propel him to the Under-23 side or perhaps, even the senior side.
Chelsea have been notoriously known for stocking their youth squads up with budding superstars but not actually providing a clear path into the first-team setup. But, Antonio Conte seems to have gone about his ways in order to improve Chelsea’s image in this department.
The manager has brought in a few youngsters into the first-team, the standout being Ethan Ampadu, who has made his Chelsea debut after joining the club from Exeter only in July, 2017. Ballo would hope to walk in Ampadu’s footsteps and be the next youngster to break into the first-team setup at Stamford Bridge.
Ballo is considered as one of the brightest young talents in Europe and his blistering start at Chelsea does signal to the player’s high ceiling as far as potential is concerned. Chelsea fans would hope he becomes the next youngster to excite them. Ballo would hope for the same, and more.
