Despite their current transfer ban, Chelsea has confirmed that Ola Aina has made a permanent transfer to Serie A side, Torino.
“Everyone at Chelsea Football Club would like to thank Ola for his services and we wish him the best of luck for the next stage in his career.”
The defender made six appearances for the Blues during the 2016/17 campaign. He had spent the past season on loan with Italian side Torino, making 32 appearances in all competitions and scoring once.
Speaking to a Sky reporter, Torino’s president, Urbano Cairo, confirmed that the club has exercised their option to buy Aina. With the defender’s current deal set to expire at the end of this month.
“We exercised our option to buy Ola Aina, as well as, (Christian) Ansaldi and (Koffi) Djidji. Now Torino owns all their players.”
However, the 20-year-old is expected to miss the start of the season after suffering ankle ligament damage while on international duty with England Under-20s.
According to Chelsea’s official website, “Aina made his Chelsea debut in a League Cup victory over Bristol Rovers in August 2016 under the management of Antonio Conte. And by the end of that season, he had six appearances to his name. Including three as a substitute in our victorious Premier League campaign. His last game was the 4-3 win over Watford, the game after we had won the title.
Aina moved on loan to Hull for 2017/18 where he featured regularly in the Championship. It was during that season he made his senior international debut for Nigeria in a World Cup qualifying win over Zambia, and he was recently named in the Super Eagles’ squad for the forthcoming Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.
Everyone at Chelsea Football Club would like to thank Ola for his services and we wish him the best of luck for the next stage in his career.”
