Boga ready to continue rise as Serie A resumes

Boga was at Chelsea from the age of 12 but left for Sassuolo after finding his playing time limited

He is one of the best dribblers in the Serie A this season - and has been recently linked to some of the biggest clubs in Europe. But Sassuolo's Jérémie Boga says he only wants to focus on finishing the Italian top flight season.

The 23-year-old forward left Chelsea in 2018 and has scored eight goals while contributing a further four assist across 25 appearances this season. It has seen him linked with moves to Inter and Juventus - albeit before the league shut down due to coronavirus.

But the Ivorian told BBC Sport Africa that he wanted to concentrate on the "unfinished job" of finishing as high as possible in Serie A for one of its lesser-known teams. They currently sit 11th, and play Atalanta away on Sunday evening as the league restarts.

"For me the preference would be to finish the league because to finish like this, it’s a little bit like an unfinished job," he said.

"I’ve seen a lot of names interested in me on internet, but I haven’t heard any direct contacts. I just take them as rumours - even though it’s very flattering.

"We’ll see what happens next. Some clubs have contacted my agent of course, but for now the goal is to finish well the season, make sure everything goes well - then after we’ll be able to see if it’s the time to go and talk with the club and see where the club stands. Then, we will decide what to do."

'Perfect option'

Boga was in good form before the shutdown

Noticed by Chelsea at a very young age while playing a tournament in Marseille - where he was born in 1997 - Jérémie Boga moved to London aged 12 with his family and joined the Chelsea youth academy.

Always good with the ball, the attacking midfielder was offered a contract with the Blues aged 18, but did not play much in the Premier League.

This was when the loan experience started. First Rennes in France, then Granada in Spain, and Birmingham in the Championship - a change of rhythm that did not suit the young man's personal development and ambitions.

So instead of renewing his contract with Chelsea and go on loan again, he decided to go somewhere he could grow.

"Coming to Sassuolo for me was the perfect option and my goal has always been to improve, to do well, so then one day Chelsea can come back and say, 'OK now, we want to buy him' - or other clubs can say, 'yes he is ready', so that’s always been my goal.

"There is not really a preference. Where I see there is going to be the best option for me, I think that’s where I will go, or I will stay.

"So, as of now, I couldn’t say I want to go there, or I want to go there. For now I’m just with Sassuolo, and we will see."

It seems that more than to be part of a prestigious team, what Boga is looking for is a team where he will play a big role - just like how Sassuolo has allowed him to express and develop his talent.

"The way the coach plays, and my team plays - I think it’s perfect for me because we’re a team that loves having the ball, that loves attacking play, so for me it’s perfect," explained Boga.

"It’s just work that pays off, even though I still have a lot of things to work on to keep on improving.

"But I think what makes the difference from the previous years is the statistics side, because I’m a forward player, so if I don’t score goals, if I don’t give assist - even though I’m good on the ball - people will not talk a lot about you.

"So the most important thing that I am learning and trying to bring more into my game. It’s just to be more clinical in my final play and make sure I am more present also in that area."

With the season resuming in three weeks, and 12 matches to go, Boga will have the opportunity to do just this.