Lose one Designated Player, gain another.
Two weeks after confirming that defensive midfielder Hernán Bernardello had not agreed to a new contract (he appears headed to Cruz Azul), the Montreal Impact announced on Wednesday that the club has agreed to terms with Argentine attacking midfielder Ignacio Piatti, also a Designated Player.
Piatti, who will wear No. 10, will not join the Impact until after his current club, San Lorenzo is eliminated from the CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores. San Lorenzo's semifinal tie against Bolivian club Bolivar is scheduled to take place on July 23 and July 30. The final will take place on August 6 and 13. That deal is contingent upon the club obtaining a special exemption from FIFA to return the player's registration to MLS outside of the normal transfer window.
"To be able to get another DP is another important step for the club," Impact sporting director Nick De Santis said in a club statement. "It was a long process, but we're excited to bring him here. 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, 29, becomes the third Designated Player in Impact history, joining Marco Di Vaio and following Bernardello. has scored 30 goals in over 160 games played in the Argentine first division. Since joining San Lorenzo in August 2012, Piatti has scored 12 goals in 53 matches, including eight goals in the Torneo Inicial of fall 2013, helping San Lorenzo win the split-season title.
San Lorenzo reached the Copa Libertadores semifinals for the first time in more than 25 years, with Piatti scoring in the group stage against Botafogo and in the quarterfinals against Cruzeiro.
Prior to joining San Lorenzo, Piatti played with Lecce in Italy from 2010-12. He has also played for Talleres, Chacarita Juniors, Gimnasia La Plata and Independiente in Argentina and had a stint with St.-Étienne in France in 2006.
