MONTREAL – Some vacations are more fruitful than others.
Take former Napoli midfielder Marco Donadel, for example: last month, Donadel came to visit his buddy Marco Di Vaio in Montreal. During his stay, he trained with the Impact. But that’s all it was, Donadel insisted, adding that “it’d be nice to get an experience in MLS” as he felt “at the top of my game.”
But, after he returned home, Donadel’s name wasn’t discounted. Murmurs never quite stopped. Donadel, who currently trains with Fiorentina’s youth team, has told Italian media that “talks are underway with Montreal.”
Asked about Donadel on Wednesday, head coach Frank Klopas told MLSsoccer.com that Donadel “is still an option.”
“But like I said, it’s an area of the field where we need to bring more of a No. 6, holding midfielder not only to break out plays but also to be kind of a distributor out of the back, more of a playmaker deep, and then, more of a box-to-box player,” Klopas said by phone. “We also want to bring more athleticism, be more dynamic in the middle, and then bring the leadership that we’re looking for.”
It’ll also depend on what remains from the 2014 edition. Klopas repeated that he’s looking to bring in “one or two players” in midfield while ensuring he holds on to certain players, salary budget and roster space permitting. Four players are still in negotiations with Montreal, including central midfielder Patrice Bernier – vice-president of soccer operations Richard Legendre told reporters on Monday that the club hopes for a renewal.
On Tuesday, Montreal created some space by announcing that goalkeeper Troy Perkins and midfielder Gorka Larrea wouldn’t be back. The latter’s departure could open the door for Canadian international Jeremy Gagnon-Laparé to play more minutes at his natural position next season. He should be competing for a spot with Felipe and Calum Mallace, among others.
“Gorka was a positive guy when he came in, but I think that Jeremy, now, is at a point where, with the experience he gained and his experience with the national team, we have to give him opportunities and he’s now one more step closer to participating and helping the team,” Klopas said.
