By AVI CREDITOR
The question isn't "If?" for Montreal Impact president Joey Saputo. It's "When?"
The Vancouver Sun reported Monday that Saputo plans on having his team join Major League Soccer as soon as 2011, with realistic hopes set at 2012.
Saputo has met with MLS league officials, including commissioner Don Garber, in each of the last two months, and he's as optimistic as ever that the Impact will make the leap from USSF Division 2 to MLS within two years.
"We are closer now than ever before in making an announcement," Saputo told the Sun. "MLS was satisfied with the meetings and received the assurances it needed. Our bid has now proceeded to the next level."
With Vancouver and Portland set to join the league in 2011, Montreal will likely have to wait another year before making the leap. But Saputo appears to be more eager, and in the event of a snag with either the Whitecaps or Timbers, the Impact president has "advised the MLS that if need be we can ready for 2011."
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