MONTREAL – FC Montreal announced on Tuesday that it has reached an agreement with 16-year-old winger Ballou Jean-Yves Tabla, in preparation for the 2016 USL season.

Tabla, a Canadian player with Ivory Coast origins, is with the Impact Academy for a second time. Arriving for the first time in August 2012, he left on December 9, 2013, and then continued his formation in April 2015, after a stint with the Montreal amateur club Panellinios.

The young winger was most recently with the Impact U18 team, which ended the 2014-2015 season as the best tea in the USSDA general standings.

Ballou Jean-Yves Tabla also thrived on the international scene, scoring three goals in 14 games with the U17 and U20 Canadian selections.

“He’s a creative player who can be decisive in the final third,” said FC Montreal head coach Philippe Eullaffroy. “He’s a valued type of player because you don’t find many like him. He’s also someone who is eager to learn, who learns fast and who has the right mindset. A player from this age group joining FC Montreal’s roster will allow him more time to progress and use all his potential.”

Tabla will be available for FC Montreal next season, but in the meantime, spend time with the Montreal Impact U18 in the USSDA.

Ballou Jean-Yves Tabla

Position: Midfielder

Height: 5’9

Weight: 154 lbs.

Birth date: March 31 1999, Abidjan, Ivory Coast

Nationality: Canada

Last club: Panellinios

Acquired: November 10, 2015