The Impact yesterday acquired former EPL club Chelsea F Didier Drogba from the Fire "for an undisclosed amount of allocation money," resulting in a "flood of callers to the Impact offices seeking tickets to see perhaps the best and most famous player acquisition in team history," according to Bill Beacon of the CP. Drogba is "expected to arrive" in Montreal tomorrow. The Impact "had to go through the Fire to get Drogba because Chicago had put him on their 'discovery' list." Drogba "apparently wanted to play in Montreal partly because it is a mainly French speaking city, so a deal was arranged." Drogba signed with the Impact for 18 months and "will be the club’s second designated player," joining Argentine MF Ignacio Piatti (CP, 7/27). ESPN FC reported the deal is worth "in excess of" $3M per year (ESPNFC.com, 7/27). SPORTSNET.ca's John Molinaro wrote the acquisition of Drogba "was a no-brainer" for the Impact "from a commercial perspective." The club has "struggled at the gate in MLS this season," although it has "drawn decent-sized crowds in recent weeks." Drogba is a "big star who can put bums in the seats" at Saputo Stadium. The French-speaking Drogba also "can reach the city’s casual Francophone sports fans." He will "create some much-needed buzz for an Impact that has largely been ignored by the city’s mainstream media ever since they reached -- and lost -- the CONCACAF Champions League final back in April" (SPORTSNET.ca, 7/27).
STATESIDE STAR POWER: USA TODAY's Martin Rogers writes MLS' crop of big-name new arrivals is "beating a path that is becoming increasingly well-trodden." When Drogba eventually suits up for the Impact, he "will be the sixth player to begin his MLS career this season to have won" a UEFA Champions League title, following NYC FC's Andrea Pirlo, Frank Lampard and David Villa, Orlando City SC's Kaka and the Galaxy's Steven Gerrard. The knock on MLS previously was that there "were not enough good imports," while the current "popular theme is that they are too old." But it is "hard to argue with the pedigree of this summer's acquisitions, even if all six of the mentioned stars are on the wrong side of 30." Furthermore, the influx "does seem to be trending younger with the Galaxy having added 26-year-old Mexico national team playmaker Gio dos Santos and Toronto FC acquiring highly-talented Italian forward Sebastian Giovinco, 28" (USA TODAY, 7/28). ESPN FC’s Alejandro Moreno said the “model of MLS now seems to be going in a different direction” than in the past, as teams are beginning to sign a player “in the prime of his career (who) can give you productive years.” However, with Drogba, it is “whatever he gives you this season, maybe next season and then after that who knows.” ESPN FC’s Craig Burley said MLS was “trying to get away from was players in their mid-30’s and above coming to America as some sort of last payday holiday” (“ESPN FC,” ESPNews, 7/27).
