The Montreal Impact announced on Wednesday that it acquired Homegrown midfielder Ballou Tabla from Spanish club FC Barcelona, coming to terms on a two-year contract with two option years.
“We are happy to have Ballou back with us following this transfer,” said Impact sporting director Olivier Renard. “The talent of this young Quebecer was never put into question. Now it’s up to him to do everything and bounce back.”
Tabla joined the Impact on loan on August 7, 2019, after being transferred to Barcelona B on January 25, 2018. He then played four MLS games, including one start.
In 2017, in his first year in the North American league, he played 21 games, including 11 starts, scoring two goals and adding two assists. He became the Impact’s youngest player to take part in an MLS game at the age of 17 years and 338 days on Saturday, March 4, 2017, in San Jose.
With the Catalan club’s reserve squad, he played 30 games, in addition to playing a game with FC Barcelona U19s in the U19 UEFA Championship, scoring three goals and adding two assists. In the winter of 2019, he was sent on loan to Albacete Balompié, in Spain’s second division, where he played two games.
The 20-year-old midfielder joined the club’s Academy for the first time in 2012. He then played with the Impact U18 in 2015, before joining FC Montréal (USL) in 2016. He previously played with the Pointe-aux-Trembles Jets and Montreal amateur club CS Panellinios.
Transaction: The Montreal Impact acquires Ballou Tabla via transfer from Spanish club FC Barcelona and comes to terms on a two-year deal, with two option years.
