Raheem Sterling helps Chelsea secure exciting striker trial

Chelsea will take teenage striker Hafiz Umar Ibrahim on a two-week trial after Raheem Sterling helped convince the Nigerian to link up with the Blues.

Ibrahim, 18, currently represents Ojodu City in his native Nigeria and made headlines with a haul of ten goals in six games during a youth tournament in Italy last month, finishing as the tournament's top scorer.

Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt tried to sign Ibrahim but Chelsea have now swooped in to secure his signature on a two-week trial.

As first reported by Soccernet.ng and later backed up by the Evening Standard, Chelsea had Sterling speak with Ibrahim to discuss a move to Stamford Bridge, and the 18-year-old striker has now received all the documents needed to head to England for his trial.

The towering striker, who stands at 6'2 and compares himself to Romelu Lukaku, will begin his trial with Chelsea on Monday.

Ibrahim also has interest from Spain and Italy, where Inter and AC Milan are both understood to be chasing his signature.

Should Ibrahim impress, he is expected to earn a contract with Chelsea's sister side Strasbourg in France.

Scouting Africa has become a bigger priority for Chelsea following the appointment of Joe Shields as co-director of recruitment and talent, with 17-year-old Senegalese midfielder Pape Daouda Diong also joining the BlueCo bubble.

Shields, who has a reputation as one of the finest scouts of young talents in England, was also influential in the deal to sign Jamaican striker Dujuan Richards. The 18-year-old, who goes by 'Whisper', has two goals in five games for Chelsea's Under-21s since joining in January.

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