Always brimming with talent, Chelsea’s Bertrand Traoré really needed a season like this one to make a name for himself.
Enjoying a good season and a half at Vitesse Arnhem between 2014 and 2015, the forward returned to Chelsea to play a bit part role under both José Mourinho and Guus Hiddink at Stamford Bridge.
Needing more first-team football to continue his impressive development, the 21-year-old was sent to Ajax Amsterdam, where he has continued to show his ability on a bigger platform.
Helping the Dutch side reach the semi-final of the Europa League, which they play on Wednesday night against Lyon, the Chelsea loanee has scored 11 goals in 35 appearances, as well as picking up five assists along the way.
His ability has also attracted interest from elsewhere, with Corriere dello Sport on Wednesday explaining that Napoli in Serie A have placed Traoré on their transfer target list for the summer, as they look for backup for their Callejon-Mertens-Insigne front three.
With a contract keeping him at Stamford Bridge until 2019, this summer should be a good indicator of what Chelsea’s plans for the Burkina Faso international are.
It all depends on whether Antonio Conte thinks he can contribute to his plans at Stamford Bridge next season, with the Blues needing a deeper squad for the upcoming campaign, having to include Champions League football in their schedule.
One to keep an eye on once Traoré’s loan with Ajax comes to an end on the 30th of June.
