Raheem Sterling plays key role as Chelsea hand striker hopeful trial chance | OneFootball

Chelsea have taken 18-year-old Nigerian striker Hafiz Umar Ibrahim on trial, with Raheem Sterling playing a key role in the move.

Ibrahim will begin a two-week trial at Cobham on Monday after securing a visa and speaking to Sterling on a video call.

He plays for Ojodu City in Nigeria and was been brought in after a trial at Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt month.

Ibrahim will now fight for a contract at Chelsea and get to train under Mauricio Pochettino.

Chelsea are increasingly signing talent directly from African academies, with co-director of recruitment and talent Joe Shields involved in the Ibrahim deal.

If his trial is successful, Ibrahim is expected to join Chelsea’s partner club Strasbourg in France.

Chelsea co-owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali are keen to build a young team at Strasbourg as they develop their multi-club strategy under the BlueCo umbrella.

REUTERS

Ibrahim has been on the radar of European clubs after scoring 10 goals in six games at the Viareggio Cup in Italy earlier this year, netting against Manchester City’s Under-21s during the youth tournament.

The 6ft 2in target man likens himself to former Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku, who is back on loan in Italy with Roma.

He previously told Soccernet Nigeria: “[I like Lukaku] because he fights, he’s strong, he scores, he helps his team, he does everything.”