THE star at the centre of Chelsea’s two-window transfer ban in 2019 is now tearing it up at European giants Ajax.
Bertrand Traore was the player that sparked Fifa‘s investigation into Chelsea‘s transfer business some five years ago now.
Bertrand Traore has hit top form at Ajax[/caption]
Traore used to be on the books at Chelsea[/caption]
Traore, 29, spent four years on the books at Stamford Bridge after making the switch from French side Auxerre to the Blues’ Cobham academy.
Traore left the club in 2017, signing for Lyon in an £8.8m transfer.
He later went on to spend four years at Aston Villa before heading to Villarreal on a free transfer in February.
His time in Spain was cut short when, after just six months with the La Liga club, he left on another free transfer to join Dutch superclub Ajax this summer.
And despite having a pretty underwhelming career to date, Traore has found a new lease of life in the Eredivisie, seemingly hitting his best ever patch of form.
The 78-time Burkina Faso international has got four goals and four assists since the start of the season and is Ajax’s joint top goalscorer in the league.
Traore’s best ever return in the Premier League was just seven goals in 36 games during Villa’s 2020/21 campaign.
And the wide-man looks set to smash that return this term if he continues on his current trajectory.
Bertrand Traore’s career to date
A brief look at Traore’s career…
2012: AJ Auxerre U19s
2013 – 2017: Chelsea
2014 – 2015: Vitesse (loan)
2016 – 2017: Ajax (loan)
2017 – 2020: Lyon
2020 – 2024: Aston Villa
2022 – 2023: Basaksehir (loan)
2024: Villarreal
2024 – present: Ajax
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Traore’s start in English football was clouded by controversy after he was the star that kickstarted FIfa’s investigation into Chelsea’s transfer activity.
Fifa alleged that Chelsea had signed Traore before 18th birthday – despite the club claiming that was false.
Chelsea officially registered Traore as a player in 2014, just after his 18th birthday, but Fifa’s investigation claimed that the Blues had actually signed him some time before that date when he was only 16 years old.
Fifa investigated the SW6 club’s transfer business for three-years, deep diving into 19 different transfers made by the Premier League side.
Ultimately they were stung with a two-window transfer ban that they saw out back in 2020.
