First signing of the January transfer window as Chelsea complete Bertrand Traore deal

Bertrand Traore of Chelsea competes for the ball with Ahmad Bustomi of Inonesia All-Stars during the match between Chelsea and Indonesia All-Stars at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium on July 25, 2013 in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Chelsea have officially confirmed the transfer of the 18-year-old Burkina Faso midfielder Bertrand Traore, with whom the English Premier League club had agreed terms with, back in October 2013.

Faso had given consent to a four and a half year deal with the Blues last year, but the transfer had to wait for the January transfer window to open to be formally sealed.

The Burkino Faso native, who previously represented Association Jeunes Espoirs De Bobo-Dioulasso, impressed the London club in its pre-season tour of Asia in the summer by scoring in Malaysia and Indonesia, after joining the side as a trialist.

“I was very happy. It was a good experience with all the senior players and I learned a lot from them,” Traore said on his pre-season trail with Chelsea.

“I was very proud, so it was a dream for me to be there every day and playing games. Of course I was a little bit nervous but after two or three days I was okay.

“On the pitch I was comfortable, I wasn’t nervous once I was on the pitch.

“Jose Mourinho spoke a lot during training and he is one of the best managers, maybe the best in the world. 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.

“At Chelsea I look to follow the way of some African legends like Didier Drogba, Michael Essien and now Samuel Eto’o.”