Chelsea training invite for Khalil

After being crowned AFC Youth Player of the Year on Tuesday, Ahmed Khalil has been given the chance to train with the English Premier League side Chelsea. The Al Ahli forward, 17, the top scorer as the UAE triumphed at the AFC Under 19 Championship in Saudi Arabia, has been hailed as a shining prospect by his Ahli coach Ivan Hasek. Now, thanks to an agreement between the AFC and Chelsea, Khalil, along with AFC Player of the Year Server Djeparov from Uzbekistan, he has an open invitation to train for a month with Luiz Felipe Scolari's team.

The training is part of an agreement between AFC and Chelsea to develop Asian football. Chelsea are an official partner of the AFC's Vision Asia project. "Subject to getting all the necessary permissions and the players wanting to come, we would be delighted to welcome Server and Ahmed at Cobham," said Chelsea director, Simon Greenberg. "Our agreement with AFC is proof of our commitment to help develop football in Asia and this invitation can only increase the exposure to the world of the qualify of Asian football."

@Email:twoods@thenational.ae