Agreement with Montreal Impact for transfer of Ballou Jean-Yves Tabla

FC Barcelona and Montreal Impact have reached an agreement for the transfer of Ballou Jean-Yves Tabla from the Quebecois outfit to Barça B.

The 18-year-old has signed for three years, with the addition of two optional seasons on top. His buyout clause has been set at 25 million euros for the first three years, which will be raised to 75 million if his contract is extended.

The player passed all the required tests at the FC Barcelona Medical Services on Thursday morning and put pen to paper in the Ciutat Esportiva offices in the company of the director responsible for Barça B, Silvio Elias, and the technical secretary for professional academy football, Jose Mari Bakero.

Quick and young

Ballou Jean-Yves Tabla was born in Abidjan (Ivory Coast), but moved to Canada as a child, where he joined the youth system at Montreal FC.

He rose up through the ranks and last season was included for the first time on the roster of the club’s Major League Soccer team, Montreal Impact. He made 21 appearances (11 as a starter), scoring two goals and providing two assists, in the biggest pro league in North America.

Generally known simply as ‘Ballou’, he is one of the hottest prospects in Canadian football and has played for the national team at various levels, being named Canada U-20 Male Player of the Year in 2016.