They’re 3-9, have lost seven of their last eight games, sit in last place in the overall MLS table on a points-per-game basis and to top it all off, they lost 1-0 to a 10-man LA Galaxy side in their 25th anniversary celebration match on Monday.
Times are hard for the Montreal Impact at present, so bad that owner Joey Saputo is publicly mulling an idea that would’ve been unthinkable not so long ago: Shipping Ignacio Piatti out of town.
“I don’t want to start any rumors. For me, personally, like I’ve always said, today, in our current group, there is not one untouchable player.” a clearly frustrated Saputo said in an interview with Jeremy Filosa of local outlet 98.5 Sports after Monday’s loss (interview in French). “I may be speaking a little in the heat of the moment, but, seriously speaking, if someone comes to get Piatti and offers me X amount for him, I save on the salary cap and I make money.
“Are we better off having three players at two million apiece instead of one player at six million? I don’t know. Anyways, personally, I’m not happy with our current situation and I’m not an owner who will say 'we’ll finish this year and then make decisions.' We have time to do that now.”
VIDEO: Matt Doyle, Bobby Warshaw and Andrew Wiebe discuss Montreal Impact
Montreal’s highest-paid player according to MLS Players Association documents, Piatti has been the Impact’s most productive and exciting attacker since joining the club from Argentinean side San Lorenzo in 2014 and signed a contract extension through next season, with an option for 2020, in October of last year. He has five goals and six assists in 11 matches this season.
But Saputo’s remarks, which mirror those of MLSsoccer.com’s Armchair Analyst Matt Doyle on Monday’s Instant Analysis after the Impact's loss, suggest that the Argentinean playmaker could become an asset to fund a deep roster overhaul.
“I’m not happy with our situation. I’ve had discussions with the technical staff, and the Impact will definitely have to [make a] move during July’s transfer window,” said Saputo, who hired French head coach Remi Garde over the winter. “We need to [make a] move. I cannot accept where we are at the moment. I’m very competitive. We still have a chance of achieving our goals. There are still a lot of games to play. I’m not going down without a fight."
