The Montreal Impact are interested in acquiring Fanendo Adi from FC Cincinnati for the remainder of the 2018 season, sources have told MLSsoccer.com.
Adi was traded from the Portland Timbers to FC Cincinnati on Monday in exchange for a package that includes at least $850,000 in allocation money. FCC currently play in USL but will join MLS in 2019. The sources said that FC Cincinnati, after acquiring Adi's MLS rights, are working to complete a loan deal so that he can be added to their USL roster. They added that the club would prefer to keep the striker with the team for the rest of their campaign, but said there’s a chance he could move to an MLS team on another short-term loan deal before the secondary transfer window closes on Aug. 8.
The Impact had an initial agreement to sign striker Jimmy Briand from French club Guingamp last week, but the deal fell through due to what the Impact called “important additional requests” made by Briand and his agent “at the last minute.” The sources said that Montreal were in discussions with the Timbers to trade for Adi even before the Briand deal fell apart, but couldn't agree on a price.
Adi, 27, joined the Timbers in 2014 from Danish club FC Copenhagen. The Nigerian striker recorded 54 goals and 14 assists in 126 career regular season games with Portland and played a key role in the club’s run to the 2015 MLS Cup title. He’ll be a Designated Player with FCC in 2019.
FC Cincinnati, who also acquired midfielder Fatai Alashe from the San Jose Earthquakes on Monday, are currently in first-place in the USL’s Eastern Conference. They’ll host fellow eventual MLS club Nashville SC at Nippert Stadium on Saturday.
