Lassina Traore joins Ukrainian giants Shakhtar Donetsk from Ajax Amsterdam in a permanent transfer deal.

Ajax announced the departure of Traore on their official website, in a deal that is reported to have cost Shakhtar R170 million in order to land the Burkina Faso forward.

Traore registered 10 goals in his nine appearances for the Dutch giants last season, in what proved to be an injury-riddled campaign. But it was not a season without joy, however, as he was able to make history by scoring five goals and laying off a further three assists in one Eredivise fixture against VVV-Venlo last year.

Shakhtar CEO Sergei Palkin spoke about Traore’s qualities upon the confirmation of his signing.

“He is the kind of player that suits any team: both offensive and defensive. He is a versatile footballer. A very powerful, he plays well aerially, being quite technical for a striker, plus he scores goals.

If you look at him from all sides and evaluate him among the attackers, then Traore has virtually every quality we need,” said Palkin to the clubs official website.

Palkin also eluded to the timing of Traore’s arrival as being very helpful to the club’s cause.

“Moreover, given the fact that Moraes is out for a very long period… May God grant him health, may he recover as soon as possible, but at the moment, I think, this position needed to be strengthened. And we did it.”

Traore spent just a few seasons as part of Ajax Cape Town’s reserve side structures before impressing former club Ajax Amsterdam to take him on board.

The 20-year-old’s game has grown in leaps and bounds since that particular move and has since helped facilitate yet another upward step in his career.