Barcelona Signs Montreal Impact Rising Star Ballou Jean-Yves Tabla
Barcelona has completed the capture of talented Montreal Impact youngster Ballou Jean-Yves Tabla on a three-year contract.
The 18-year-old was announced via the club's website on Thursday and will immediately take up a place in the club's B team ahead of a potential first-team breakthrough in the coming seasons.
Barcelona has the option to extend Tabla's deal by a further two years if he impressed enough during his Camp Nou stay and, if La Blaugrana take up that option, he will see his buyout clause increase from £22m to £65m.
Tabla completed his medical at the club's training complex on Thursday morning and put pen to paper on the terms of his deal at the Ciutat Esportiva offices alongside Barca B director Silvio Elias and academy technical secretary Jose Mari Bakero–whose son, Jon, was just drafted by the Chicago Fire.
The 18-year-old was originally born in Abidjan in the Ivory Coast, but moved to Canada with his family as a child.
He joined Montreal FC's youth set up not long after and worked his way up through the age levels until he made his senior bow for the club in April 2016.
Tabla went on to feature 21 times for the USL side before he was promoted into the Montreal Impact squad six months later and he went on to bag three goals and two assists in 24 outings for the Major League Soccer team.
Considered to be the hottest prospect in Canadian football, the Under-20 international was snapped up by Barcelona before other interested parties could lay claim to him.
Tabla is adept at playing on either wing, with the primarily right wideman also comfortable cutting inside from a left wing position.
