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Montreal Impact must leverage its top spot in MLS Allocation process

If it ends up being Jozy Altidore, Montreal has a chance to get real value from finishing at the bottom of the league in 2014.

By Sofiane Benzaza
Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

If you are at the top of the Allocation Order in 2015, you are either an expansion club, traded up for it or finished last (or at the bottom) in 2014. Ranked third in 2015, the Montreal Impact have jumped to first after New York City FC signed Mix Diskerud, using its allocation to pick up a USMNT player coming to MLS.

As we speak, the allocation ranking is:

  1. Montreal
  2. San Jose
  3. Colorado
  4. Chicago
  5. Houston
  6. Toronto
  7. Philadelphia
  8. Portland
  9. Sporting KC
  10. Vancouver
  11. New York Red Bulls
  12. Columbus
  13. Dallas
  14. New England
  15. Real Salt Lake
  16. D.C. United
  17. LA Galaxy
  18. Seattle
  19. Orlando City
  20. New York City FC
Right now, rumors are sending Jozy Altidore to MLS with Toronto FC and the Portland Timbers as the front-runners. ESPN is reporting that Altidore would potentially skip that process but it was not confirmed. Back at the MLS combine in Florida, Frank Klopas has made it public knowledge that teams are inquiring to trade up for the coveted first spot.

Via Kyle McCarthy

Since, TSN has confirmed that a swap will be happening between Sunderland FC and Toronto FC, in which Jozy Altidore will join MLS and Jermaine Defoe would go back to the EPL with Sunderland.

Although the swap has been completed, Altidore is not yet a Toronto FC player. Altidore played for the New York Red Bulls from 2006-08, meaning he would have to go through Major League Soccer's allocation process for re-entry into the league.

At this point, Toronto was able to sell Jermaine Defoe for 10M$ US + Jozy Altidore but the USMNT striker is not a TFC player just yet. Having to go through the allocation draft/process, the Impact has first dibs on the New Jersey native and any team that would want to sign Altidore would need to trade with the Bleu-Blanc-Noir.

In this case, Toronto seems to be front-runner to sign Altidore and I hope that's the club's intent after selling the original piece of the  "Bloody Big Deal" campaign.

Whether the #1 spot in the allocation process represents Jozy Altidore, Mix Diskerud or any high-valued USMNT player (maybe over-valued in some cases), Montreal does not seem to be the number 1 destination for those players. I also highly doubt that the club would be interested in US star players as the club has taken the route of Serie A and Argentina to acquire its own stars.

The Eddie Johnson trade to the Seattle Sounders was one of the defining events of a blossoming MLS expansion franchise/club/organization. It could have given a big boost to the Jesse Marsch era if the club was able to leverage that spot for more or if it had used the acquired assets more efficiently.

If you ask me, Jozy Altidore is worth much more than Eddie Johnson ever did.

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