Report: Montreal close to signing Swiss midfielder Blerim Dzemaili for 2017

Blerim Dzemaili - Switzerland - Euro 2016

The Montreal Impact could be close to acquiring Swiss international attacking midfielder Blerim Dzemaili, though the midfielder reportedly won’t be joining the Canadian club until next summer.


Italian outlet GianlucaDiMarzio.com reported on Wednesday that Dzemaili is headed to Montreal via Serie A club Bologna, which is owned by Impact owner Joey Saputo. According to the report, Dzemaili will spend the 2016-17 season with Bologna before moving to Montreal next summer on a contract that would run through the 2019 MLS campaign.


Dzemaili, 30, is currently under contract with Turkish club Galatasaray. He spent last season on loan with Serie A club Genoa, scoring three goals in 27 appearances.


He has spent most of his career in Italy, playing for Torino, Parma and Napoli before moving to Galatasaray in 2014. Born in Macedonia before moving to Switzerland at a young age, Dzemaili has been capped 52 times for the Swiss national team. He was called up to the 2006 and 2014 World Cups and Euro 2016, in which he started all four of the country’s matches.