After signing for Chelsea on New Years Day in 2014, Bertrand Traore has spent the last 18 months on loan at Dutch side Vitesse Arnhem, and he is now back in the Chelsea squad.
Mourinho made it clear after our game against New York Red Bulls that Bertrand Traore will continue to work on his development at Chelsea rather than be loaned out for another season.
In an interview with the official Chelsea website, Traore expressed his delight to be part of Mourinho’s plans and acknowledged he can’t take anything for granted.
I’m very happy to be here. I get to work with some of the best players in the world and one of the best managers. I am trying to do my best in every training session right now. It’s something nice to have the support of the manager but I have to prove that I deserve to be here. I have to work hard, do my best and take my chance.
Bertrand Traore, Source: Chelsea FC
His loans in Holland were certainly productive spells, and Traore improved a lot of as a player. In his first season (2013/14) at Vitesse, he joined mid-way through their campaign and made 15, a lot of them as a sub. Then in his second season with them (2014/15) he established himself as a key member of their side, which finished fifth in the Eredivise, meaning they qualified for the Europa League qualifying stage. Traore managed to score 17 goals in 36 games and also provided some assists.
I think my loan was very good. I learned a lot. I had a period of adaptation in the first six months then after I had a full season with the team including pre-season. It was much better. I learned a lot tactically, I also learned how to play without the ball, to defend, to play as a team, and I think I improved my mentality during my loan. All in all I was able to improve my performances and it was a good step in my career.
No player from Burkina Faso has played in the Premier League before. I wish I will be the first one and then more players will come. Of course Chelsea is so much bigger than Vitesse and Burkina Faso’s national team but I am already used to playing in full stadiums in front of a lot of people. I hope I can use those experiences so it will be normal for me.
Bertrand Traore, Source: Chelsea FC
Traore earned his first cap for Burkina Faso at a very early age and he was called up to the national side first team at just 15 years old! He has later gone on to represent Burkina Faso at the 2012 and 2015 African Cup of Nations. The fact that no player from his home country has made an appearance in the Premier League is huge motivation for him.
