He becomes the first Academy player to be transferred to a European club

MONTREAL – The Montreal Impact announced Thursday the transfer of Quebec player and Academy product Ballou Tabla to FC Barcelona, for an undisclosed fee.

“This first transfer is an important moment in the history and evolution of our club,” said Montreal Impact president Joey Saputo. “We take a lot of pride in seeing a young player, developed in our Academy, climb the ladder all the way to the first team and realize his dream to play in Europe with a big club like Barcelona.”

Tabla, 18, played one season with the Impact in MLS, in 2017, earning two goals and two assists in 21 games, starting 11, and 1,146 minutes played. He became the youngest player in the Impact’s history to take part in an MLS game, aged just 17 years and 338 days, on Saturday, March 4, in San Jose. The young player of Ivorian descent had joined the club’s first team on October 20, 2016.

Ballou joined the Montreal Impact Academy for the first time in August 2012, before leaving in December 2013. He then rejoined the Impact U18 in April 2015, and played with FC Montreal (USL) the following season, in 2016.

Tabla played his youth soccer with the Pointe-aux-Trembles Jets and amateur Montreal club CS Panellinios.

Transaction: The Montreal Impact completed the transfer of Ballou Tabla to FC Barcelona.