Santiago Gonzalez back with the Montreal Impact

It was reported yesterday that Santiago González would be returning to the Montreal Impact when training camp opens January 23. The Uruguayan striker was loaned to Danubio FC last July in order to get more playing time. During his time in Uruguay Santiago scored one goal in three games.

Via Arcadio Marcuzzi

Le club uruguayen @IASA1914 confirme que Santi Gonzalez ne restera pas à Danubio. Il se rapporterait à l'Impact le 25 janvier . #IMFC

— Arcadio Marcuzzi (@_marcuzzi) January 12, 2015

So how does the striker fit back into the plans of the Impact for the 2015 MLS season?

During his brief stint in Montreal last year, González played in nine matches (all off the bench) and a total of 80 minutes. On his departure back to Uruguay, last summer, Frank Klopas was quoted as saying,

It's taken him some time to adjust here. He's still a quality player, but our league is a little bit different. More physical, more pacy.

When González left last summer, it is safe to say that few Impact supporters thought that they would see Santiago again. One got the feeling that Klopas and González did not mesh and like many of the other signings last season, the striker did not see many minutes.

Fast forward to the second week of January 2015. Although there have been many reports of a DP striker being signed by the Impact, nothing has materialized to this point, leaving Jack McInerney and Anthony Jackson-Hamel as the only two forwards. If this is the case when training camp starts (and González is still around), he may become an important depth player for Montreal.

As Klopas noted last season, "He's a young guy, and maybe he needs games". With his return to Montreal he may get those games if the Impact cannot land a new striker and McInerney struggles out of the gate.

... Let's hope a DP striker is near.