The Impact are closing in on a new leader for their defense.
According to reports from various sources, Belgium international center back Laurent Ciman, currently of Standard de Liège, will join the Montreal Impact on a free transfer. Goal.com reports that Ciman will sign this week for three years, with an option for two more. He would become Montreal’s second Designated Player, joining DP midfielder Ignacio Piatti.
This next step in Ciman’s career looks to be rooted in a family matter: Ciman wants optimal care for his first-born daughter, who is autistic, and Canada is considered a first-rate option.
Ciman is still under contract with Standard for multiple seasons. But it is believed that the club considers the health issues faced by Ciman’s daughter to be reasonable grounds for a mutual termination of the player’s contract.
“Laurent is a player we identified and targeted,” Impact technical director Adam Braz told MLSsoccer.com on Monday. “He is in the final stages of coming to an agreement with his club team to mutually terminate his contract and we hope to have everything finalized in the near future.”
Ciman, 29, joined 10-time Belgian champions Standard in 2010. He made his first division debut for Charleroi in 2004 and has remained in the Belgian top flight since. Ciman was on Belgium’s squad in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, but didn’t make an appearance in the Red Devils’ run to the quarterfinals which saw them knock off the USA in the Round of 16.
Olivier Tremblay covers the Montreal Impact for MLSsoccer.com.
