Photo by ISIPhotos.com
By DAN ITEL
Veteran MLS defender and former U.S. national team member Heath Pearce has joined the Montreal Impact’s preseason training camp in Orlando, Fla., the club announced Wednesday.
Pearce, who was released by the New York Red Bulls at the end of the 2013 season after undergoing season-ending hip surgery during the summer, has not signed a contract with Montreal but is eligible to play in the upcoming Walt Disney World Pro Soccer Classic preseason tournament, the team said. Pearce has spent time with the Red Bulls, Chivas USA and FC Dallas during his five seasons in MLS.
The Impact are looking to fill the void left by legendary Italian defender Alessandro Nesta following his retirement at the end of last season.
Prior to joining MLS, Pearce had stints with Denmark’s Nordsjealland and Germany’s Hansa Rostock and was part of the U.S. Men’s National Team 2009 FIFA Confederation Cup and Gold Cup squads and the preliminary 30-man roster for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The three-time MLS All-Star, who was most recently named to the squad in 2012, has earned 35 caps for the USMNT.
Do you think Pearce would be a good fit in Montreal?
Share your thoughts below.
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Assuming he can pass the physical, I’d offer him a minimum deal. Why not?
I think his salary has been the stumbling block for him finding a new club tho.
Minimum Salary? If he passes the physical, he is worth way more than that. He is 29, not 34. Pending the physical, he has at least 2-3 very good years left in him. When he was with the National team, he wasn’t always consistent, but when he was on, he was very good. Pending health, he is the best left back in the league. I think that should get him around 200k a year, maybe even more. If he was willing to take the league minimum, ever team in MLS would be offering him a contract.
+1