In a little more than a year on Twitter, Joey Saputo sure has learned how to spark interest.
After the weekend trade that sent midfielder Lamar Neagle back to the Seattle Sounders for an international roster spot for the 2013 and 2014 seasons, Saputo (above left) took to Twitter on Sunday night and strongly hinted at the possibility of using the slot to bring in a South American reinforcement.
Though Montreal have, by and large, looked to Europe for international recruits since they became MLS’ 19th expansion club last year, the Impact owner reminded the media of his team’s scouting situation in South America shortly after Marco Schällibaum’s presentation as the new Montreal Impact head coach on Jan. 8.
“We have scouts in South America, we have a great relationship with them, and we’re going to continue to build on that,” Saputo told reporters.
In addition to six Europeans, the Montreal Impact's roster currently includes two players from South America, Brazilian-born Felipe and Colombian Nelson Rivas, both of whom plied their trade in Europe before arriving in MLS. The Neagle trade gave Montreal a third vacant international roster spot, for a grand total of 11.
Before ascending to MLS, the Impact fielded a number of players from South America while in the second division, the last of which was Colombian Miguel Montaño, a former Seattle Sounders player, who has since returned to Colombia. Argentinean Leonardo di Lorenzo, a popular six-year Impact veteran, now plays in the second tier of Chilean soccer.
