The Quebec-based club announced the news on Monday evening. A statement on their official website read:
"The club has acquired Ivorian striker and Designated Player Didier Drogba, in a trade with the Chicago Fire, in return for general and targeted allocation money. He will officially join the roster upon receiving his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and his Canadian work permit. As per MLS policy, details of the deal have not been released."
Explaining how the deal happened to materialize, VP Nick de Santis revealed that he was told about Didier Drogba's availability by the club's president. The Ivorian star was unanimously judged to be a good fit for Impact de Montreal. From there, a discussion with the Chelsea legend followed, assuring him that his role will be to complement the team and not "carry it on his shoulders".
"This is a player that is known all over the world for what he's done on the field, off the field and for his charisma," said Montreal Impact's International Relations, Technical Development & Vice-President.
"He fits in perfectly. He is multicultural. He speaks English. He speaks French. [...] He's played in England for the biggest club.
"We've talked about his actual level of play. He's played for Chelsea and he's played in big games. He's played in the Champions League for the past 10 years - whether it was for Chelsea or Galatasaray.
"It's about what he brings to a team in the dressing room, all the positives. His demands; he is a winner."
Didier Drogba is Bleu-Blanc-Noir (Blue-White-Black)!
Meanwhile, Drogba's former club Chelsea will engage in a much-anticipated clash against Barcelona in the 2015 International Champions Cup. The match is set to kick off on Tuesday, July 28 at 20:00 ET.
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