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Frank Klopas confirmed to the media, at complexe sportif Marie-Victorin, that the Montreal Impact is pursuing Santiago Gonzalez. Negotiations are ongoing between both parties as the club is looking to sign a young 21 year-old Uruguayan striker in Gonzalez.
A Montevideo native, Gonzalez plays with Sud America , in Montevideo, a club that has recently joined the top flight Uruguayan league. After the talks were discovered by fans, the Impact quickly confirmed its interest in the player. His club, Sud America, confirmed via twitter that the striker was in his way to a Canadian MLS club.
Klopas describes Gonzalez as "fast and physically strong, who can play with his back to the goal or play with depth" . No confirmation on whether or not the striker will become the third Designated Player of the club, after Marco Di Vaio and Hernan Bernardello.
The versatility of Gonzalez gives options to the club as Klopas observed that the young man likes to play on the sides, as he did in a 4-3-3 with the Uruguayan national team (youth teams). That same versatility adds options to the coaching staff that will need to help Di Vaio as much as possible.
Not that the 20-goal MLS scorer "needs help" but having more options is key to the survival of the club in 2014. As much as Les Bleus of Montreal are technical, being predictable was one of the factors that doomed them last year. Speed upfront is needed and Gonzalez is being brought to inject more life. Hopefully, this competition will make Andrew Wenger better as he grows as a professional soccer player.
Choices are key and the impact need as many options as it can get its hands on. That choice called Santiago Gonzalez might be cost-effective if he can actually be effective on the sides and up front.
Until then, we will judge the player when/if he signs with the Impact with a few games under his belt.
