MONTREAL – The Montreal Impact announced on Wednesday that the club has agreed to terms with Argentine midfielder Ignacio Piatti as a Designated Player. The deal will be finalized upon receipt of his international transfer certificate and passing a medical exam. As per MLS policy, details of the deal remain confidential.
Piatti will join the team after San Lorenzo de Almagro is eliminated from Copa Libertadores, provided that the club obtains a special exemption from FIFA to return the player’s registration to MLS outside of the transfer window.
Piatti, 29, has scored 30 goals in over 160 games played in the Argentine first division. He’s played for San Lorenzo since August 2012, scoring 12 goals in 53 matches. He finished the first part of the season (Torneo Inicical) as the league’s third leading scorer with eight goals, helping San Lorenzo win the first part of the Argentine championship.
Piatti also helped lead the team to the semi-finals of the Copa Libertadores for the first time in 26 years, scoring in the quarterfinal series against Cruzeiro, as well as the previous series versus Botafogo. He’s played a total of 10 games in the tournament and to Copa Sudamrica matches.
“To be able to get another DP is another important step for the club. It was a long process but we’re excited to bring him here,” said Montreal Impact sporting director Nick De Santis. “We’ve said since last year that we wanted an offensive midfielder and we are adding today a very good player, at the prime of his career, who was a catalyst for San Lorenzo in their last championship and their run in Champions League. He’s very motivated to play in MLS and to be in Montreal.”
Piatti has also donned the colours of Argentine clubs Talleres, Chacarita Juniors, Gimnasia LP and Independiente over his career, while also playing in Europe with AS Saint-Étienne, in France’s Ligue 1 (2006) and with Lecce, in the Italian first division (2010-2012).
IGNACIO PIATTI
Position: M
Number: 10
Height: 5’11
Weight: 169 lbs
Date of birth: February 4, 1985, General Baldissera, Argentina
Citizenship: Argentina
Last club: San Lorenzo (Argentina)
Acquired: July 2, 2014
