CHELSEA person splashed the currency connected wonderkids implicit the past fewer transportation windows - but their biggest prima could already beryllium astatine the club.
Meet 15-year-old Ibrahim Rabbaj, whose diminutive dribbles and wand of a near ft person him compared to Lionel Messi.
The youngster has scored a sensational 52 goals successful 40 games.
Add a whopping 60 assists to those stats and it is wide to spot wherefore helium has been called up to the England Under-16s squad, with him besides eligible for Morroco.
PLAYING STYLE
Already determination person been galore comparisons to Messi. Not conscionable the hairsbreadth either which is chopped into that distinctive bob-style similar Leo.
Being mentioned successful the aforesaid enactment arsenic arguably the top subordinate of each clip piles connected the unit of anticipation and prompts opponents to footwear lumps retired of you.
He is diminutive and operates successful the mediate oregon extracurricular connected the right.
Rabbaj loves creating, passing, making things hap and scoring.
He is fantabulous astatine 1 connected ones and his preferred occupation is to chopped successful from the close side, onto his near ft and find the other bottommost country of the net.
Dare we accidental it, but a spot similar Cole Palmer and erstwhile Chelsea large Arjen Robben.
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Despite being connected the tiny side, Ibrahim uses his assemblage spot good playing for Chelsea and England Under-16s. He has been successful each planetary campy for the past year.
RISE TO THE TOP
One of six kids successful his household and raised successful Ashford, Kent, helium was picked up by Charlton aged 7 and went to pre-academy.
Their South London neighbours, Crystal Palace past swooped for him and helium was determination until aged astir 12.
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He came to the attraction of Chelsea during Covid but was inactive signed by The Blues due to the fact that they felt a work to springiness the young lad a consciousness of belonging, adjacent though with the pandemic successful afloat swing, determination was not adjacent immoderate grooming to beryllium done.
His dada is Moroccan and helium could play for them but truthful acold has represented England. Ironically, adjacent scoring 1 of his champion goals to day against his ancestral homeland.
Rabbaj is astatine Chelsea full-time now, including for his schooling and lives with 8 different boys with a big family. GCSEs beckon adjacent summer.
EXPERTS' VIEW
He has played for Chelsea U17s successful pre-season during mixed property radical games. A ‘classic no.10’, it volition beryllium absorbing to spot arsenic helium gets older however helium handles the property gap.
Those closest to the subordinate privation to spot him fto escaped done the mediate of the transportation successful bid to thrust astatine opponents and recreate the days of aged erstwhile players of smaller stature could usage their mobility and method quality to large vantage against bigger opponents.
The radical astir Ibrahim privation to spot him run similar Romania fable Gheorghe Hagi, oregon Yossi Benayoun, who whitethorn beryllium much acquainted to Premier League fans.
WHAT'S NEXT?
Crunch clip approaches erstwhile helium should beryllium offered astatine slightest a assistance by Chelsea but successful shot who knows?
The nine mislaid winger Rio Ngumoha to Liverpool recently, who slipped done the net, truthful Chelsea’s younker coaches request to enactment connected their toes.
Retained younker players get 2 years with a scholarship. The champion are offered a twelvemonth ‘pro’ connected apical of that. Which would mean Rabbaj would efficaciously go a nonrecreational footballer astatine 17.
Sometimes clubs adjacent connection conscionable 1 twelvemonth assistance and 2 years of a pro contract.
Rabbaj is breathtaking to ticker and considered by those who ticker him regularly arsenic a hugely breathtaking talent.