By RYAN TOLMICH
The Montreal Impact have identified Didier Drogba as a prime target, but the Canadian club will have to do some finagling to acquire his services.
Impact president Joey Saputo confirmed on Monday that the club has been in contact with the Ivorian forward, who has identified Montreal as a city he would like to play in. However, for the Impact to acquire the Chelsea star, the team would have to come to terms with the Chicago Fire, who have been actively pursuing the Chelsea legend and have now increased their previous offer of $2.5 million per year, per ESPN FC.
Fire COO Atul Khosla revealed Tuesday via Twitter that the club remained in pursuit of Drogba following three weeks of ongoing discussions.
Saputo says that he knows the Fire currently have first dibs on Drogba’s rights should he come to MLS, but the Impact president also hopes that his team can find a way to acquire the star forward.
“Honestly, there hasn’t been any other discussion with the league concerning Didier or even the aspect of Chicago, making a trade with them, looking to get their spot and whatnot,” Saputo told TSN. We’re not at that point yet.
“I know that Chicago is working tremendously hard to try to bring Didier to [the Fire] and, as you know, Didier is a player that would do well in any market.”
The Impact and Fire are far from the only teams in pursuit of the Chelsea legend, as teams from Europe and Asia, including Inter Milan, have reportedly shown interest in acquiring the striker.
However, Saputo remains hopeful that the allure of Montreal and MLS will be enough to lure Drogba to joining the team.
In particular, Saputo believes that Drogba would be an instant success in Montreal due to the city’s French culture. In addition, Saputo says that Drogba is a player that “checks a lot of the boxes”, inspiring the club to spend the money required to bring in a player that would instantly become one of the league’s star attractions.
“He didn’t hide the fact that Montreal would be a perfect fit for him. The conversation with Didier was then completely in French, which was comforting for him,” Saputo said. “He asked about the city. He asked about the schooling and the kids and whatnot, which is something that was very important to him.
“He feels that we’re not far away from being a competitive team on a day-to-day basis in this particular league. He likes what he’s seen and he likes what he’s heard, so the ball’s in his court now. I know that Chicago is still pursuing him, and rightly so. We just hope that we come out on top.”
Where do you expect Drogba to end up? Which team would be a better fit? How would the forward help each club?
Share your thoughts below.
so basically if Drogba says no to Chicago, they’ll have to accept the $50,000 in allocation money from Montreal. that’s unless they are allowed to hold him hostage. by that, i mean:
1. Chicago “discovers” him and puts him on their list
2. Montreal decide they want him too and offer up the $50,000 in allocation money to Chicago
3. Chicago says no, offers a “genuine, objectively reasonable offer.”
4. Drogba says no to Chicago’s offer
5. Chicago says they don’t want the $50,000 and so Montreal can’t sign him
This is going to end up in a double blind envelope mechanism. Journalist wake up write something! MLS was great at getting the ball rolling for America but now they are getting in the way!!!!!!
Chicago does not have smoked meat.
It would be hilarious, in a sad way, if a star player wanted to come here but a team they didn’t want to play for was first in the allocation or discovery or whatever order. Reading about how they didn’t come here would be sad, hopefully that doesn’t happen.
It DID happen.
Mix chose not to play in MLS. Stated that was the reason. Now he plays here, decided that it wasn’t reason enough or something else changed.
LIfe went on, believe it or not. MLS still grew rapidly. Us season ticket holders still enjoyed the heck out of it.
Tell me again why Gerrad, Dos Santos, and Lampard go directly to a certain team while Drogba goes through this process.
Duh..didnt you know in the MLS by laws the Galaxy get to do whatever they want…
Tell me again why you don’t bother to read the other posts above, which clearly answer your question/complaint.
What is the “discovery rule,” Alex?
Where do I find out who is on each team’s “discovery” list?
MLS website gives you what you need to know. which is you don’t get to see that list.
(E) DISCOVERY PROCESS
Pursuant to the Discovery Process, clubs scout and sign players who are not yet under contract to MLS and who are not subject to another assignment mechanism (e.g. Allocation process, SuperDraft). To sign a player through the Discovery Process, the club must first place the player on its Discovery List. A club may have up to seven unsigned players on its Discovery List at any time and may remove or add players at any time. A club may sign up to six players a year from its Discovery List to its senior roster (expansion teams may sign up to 10 in their inaugural season).
Conflict Resolution
If one or more clubs try to add the same player to their Discovery Lists, the club that filed the claim first will have the priority right to sign the player. If one or more clubs submit a discovery request on the same day, then the club with the lowest points-per-game in the current MLS regular season (all clubs must have played a minimum of three regular season games) will have the priority right to sign the player.
If a club attempts to sign a player on its Discovery List and is unable to do so, the club retains the Right of First Refusal to acquire the player in the event he is later signed by the League.
If a club wants to sign a player on the Discovery List of another team, it may offer the team $50,000 in Allocation Money in exchange for the right to sign the player. The team with the player on its Discovery List will then either (i) have to accept the Allocation Money and give up the right to sign the player or (ii) make the player a genuine, objectively reasonable offer.
Special Discovery Players:
In general, the total amount of the acquisition cost of a player is charged against the salary budget in the year in which it is paid. For one player on a club’s roster (a “Special Discovery Player”), a club is able to amortize the total amount of acquisition costs (transfer fee) over the term of the player’s contract. The amortized amount and the player’s salary cannot exceed the Maximum Salary Budget Charge.
Note: In order for MLS clubs to maintain the confidentiality from other MLS clubs of their recruiting of prospective players, the League office will not publicize the names of players on club discovery lists, nor specify if a discovery claim has been filed on a particular player.
SJ Earthquakes? Given their market, the should absolutely have a big name DP.
So if one MLS team has the rights to sign a player and is in conversation to sign him, seems like a bit of meddling for another teams owner to talk to the player in this fashion. It would be better to let every interested MLS team talk to the player and the player decide where they go. With the rules MLS has put in place, I don’t think another team should be allowed to talk a player out of signing with the team MLS has deemed to have signing rights.
From a Chicago Fire blog-
“Joey Saputo explains the Drogba “talks”
http://www.tsn.ca/radio/montreal-690/joey-saputo-we-have-had-direct-talks-with-drogba-1.333811
‘There was a short period of time where Chicago felt they weren’t interested in the services of Didier Drogba for whatever reason. As you know they have 3 Designated Players and bringing in another DP might be difficult. So the league gave other clubs the opportunity to speak to them. When the league contacted us about Didier, we said absolutely – we’re very interested and that’s when the talk started but during that whole process, Chicago had called back the league saying that they were able to make some moves within their designated slots and what not and they would still be interested in Didier Drogba. So there’s the confusion in the aspect of whether Chicago has the rights through the Discovery draft or what not. But for all intents and purposes Chicago does have (rights), being that they are interested, and I know that Chicago is still in discussion with Didier and his camp but we’ll just have to wait and see how it plays out.'”
According to Saputo there was a point that the Fire weren’t interested, at which point the league began to shop him (Drogba) around.
The frequency of his use of the words “what not” in his explanation of the process sort of sums up and defines the entire ambiguity of it all.
LOLOL
So true…and what not.
No Jeff, it wouldn’t be better. Very niave to think so. Look at the standings and the revenue increases. MLS seems to have a very good handle on it.
All the whining in the world, which quite frankly we are just about reaching, won’t change that momentum and those facts.
Didn’t the Fire want Jermaine Jones (and vice-versa) last year and were unable because New England was first in the allocation order and refused to do a deal with Chicago?
That was a slightly different situation that MLS tried to “fix” from happening again this season.
Both teams had made bonafide (whatever) offers so then they drew a name out of a fraking hat. I don’t believe discovery rights (whatever) were an issue that time.
This time (unless someone has a better understanding they’d like to share), I believe if Drogba wants to go to Montreal, they (Montreal) could just give the Fire 50k in Garber bucks for the discovery rights (see: LA paid Revs for Lletget) and that would be that. No hats this time.
different issue entirely.
This would be most excellent…..if it were 2010!
Great player, but also 37 years old.
He’s got African blood.
Same age as Freddy Adu, so I wouldn’t worry about that
I’m no rules expert so can someone explain why LA Galaxy and NYCFC get to sign whoever they want with out other teams involved (with MLS’ help in transfer fees) but when its another team there is an allocation or a list that needs to be followed.
The men in the windowless black van will show up at your door shortly. Don’t resist them, they’ll take you to the MLS underground offices and explain to you how things “work”
Hope to see you again soon.
I believe the Fire are first in line for Drogba because they were the first to make him a “bonafided offer”. It is my understanding that a team like LA and NYCFC would be in this same place (where they would have to acquire a DPs rights from another club) if a team like Columbus or Dallas had offered Lampard or Gerrard $8 Million / year. This is another mechanism put in place by the league to minimize the type of competition between teams that drives up salaries.
The Discovery process. LA had to pay NYRB for discovery rights to Gerrard, and already had a claim on Gio. Chicago probably had the rights to Drogba.
The rules are dumb, but no one is better at following the rules than LA.
You can get fanny flustered all you want, but teams like LA and NYCFC are the one thrusting the league forward, and forcing other owners to spend money.
I believe this is due in part to the “Discovery” process. Which itself is an odd nomenclature and idea…WOW, the Chicago Fire “discovered” Didier Drogba. I hear he’s great (or was). I never heard of him until he was “discovered” by Chicago.
This may be if not one of/but the most STUPID MLS RULE. The Spirit of Competition says let them negotiate and whoever wins the negotiation has gain the right to sign the player for whatever he is worth. This whole rule is anti-competition. It is anti-open markets. It sustains an anti-competitive, anti-self determination; ultimately anti-American view of best business practices and outcomes.
Control.Is.Not.Your.Friend
Trapped by your own laws…Oh well
I don’t mean to burst your bubble, but America is really in the late stages of another techno-capitalism swing…it happened back in the In Industrial Era when everybody got too wedded to industrializing, and basically the human race got re-organized to Serve The Machine, which of course spurred the anti-technological Luddite movement and later the unions and the pendulum swung back the other way. The industrialists were roundly decried as “bad men” and wealth got redistributed.
Right now – here in the Information Era – everybody is wedded to what future generations will call “serving the Information Machine”. Instead of the industrialists owning everything, the guys who own the information – and the information services – pretty much own everything right now…the “1%” is getting very hoighty-toighty indeed and they’re going to get theirs, at some point, and get roundly decried as “bad men.”
All of this is a roundabout way of saying that if you run without controls, you get an elite without restraint who own everything…in sports terms, you get the Chelseas and the Man Cities/Man Uniteds, Bayern Munichs, Real Madrids, and Barcelonas, and a bunch of other teams who get to serve as their farm teams and punching bags.
Competition is good, up to a point. Free-market capitalism, even greed, is good, up to a point. But if we just let LA Galaxy and NYCFC run off and out-spend everyone, we’ll wind up as yet another 2-or-3-team Euro league.
Oh, you mean those incredibly good, highly successful leagues with the massive TV revenues? Yeah, it would be terrible if MLS ended up like that.
right.. and we are getting this major market out spending the small teams anyways
quozzel- after all these posts, you still find a way to suprise me 😉 Oh yeah, and FB market cap is now greater than GE
This sounds a lot like the article I just read in the Guardian this morning. I assume that’s where you got it from.
Nope. Just typed and let fly.
Closet philosopher, baby.
The rules are stupid. Trying to level the competition so the league won’t be lopsided is understandable but it’s so dumb. The MLS must have a lot of moxy to try and tell these guys where they’re allowed to play.
Imagine Messi or Ronaldo saying they’re going to play in America. MLS thinks they can say “Great! Pack up your bags, leave your Madrid home, and come to Columbus! You’re gonna love it here, they call it the Madrid of the Midwest!”
No. Big name players want a big name city. The top european players will come here as long as they play in Chicago, LA, New York, Miami (possibly). Discovery rights? Are you kidding me? What a joke of a rule.
We should have them all play on the same team like Europe does.
I pick Seattle as that team.
Why would they want to play on a plastic pitch?
Would Drogba be a Designated Player? Thought they didn’t need to go through allocation … like Gio or Gerrard at LA?
It would make a lot more sense if teams operated independently and could sign any player they want.
hey now, logic is clearly NOT permitted in MLS
Jermaine Jones had to. It’s one of those hazy MLS rules, DP’s of a certain threshold bypass the allocation order. DP’s that aren’t making crazy amounts of money still go through allocation. Or so it seems.
that was last year. only players subject to allocation are on the list put out by MLS. this is a Discovery Claim issue and just shows how STUPID it is. Chicago did not discover Drogba.
yes he would be a DP…and no he won’t go through allocation as he isn’t a US player or a player returning to MLS. of course, that’s irrelevant anyway because at the start of this year, MLS put out a list of players who are subject to allocation. Drogba obviously isn’t on it.
the issue, which i don’t see in the article above, is Chicago have a “discovery claim” on Drogba. which is insane.
GUN VIOLENCE IS PORBLEM IN CHICAGO
Drogs can take care of himself. He’s good friends with Chuck Norris, and I think everyone on the street knows this.
Drogba literally stopped a civil war in ivory coast.
Guns are not a problem where Drogba will be living….gun violence is pretty limited to certain neighborhoods and for the most part innocents injured by gunfire are those that live in those neighborhoods. The schools his kids go to will be excellent. Montreal is nice and they speak French and all….but Montreal cannot compare to Chicago as major international city. Also that said I fully expect Yallop and Hauptman to screw it up. Montreal fans need not scare Drogba with gun stories he most likely will only see on the news.
Disagree, I know both cities well and vastly prefer Montreal.
Then you don’t know Chicago ‘well’
Agreed, Chicago is the 3rd largest media market in the largest media market in the world, so…Even though the Fire don’t even get coverage in the back pages of the Trib, it’s still an awesome city with a passionate sports culture, world class restaurants and an amazing night life scene. It’s just one man’s opinion but Chicago is top 2 best cities in America.
Dude, Chi-Town is amazing … BUT Montreal is AMAZING-ER!
It’s the most Euro city in N.A. and would make for an easy transition to life in the Americas. Plus Impact de Montreal is a better team right now. He would get decent service from Shipp and others but he couldn’t score/set up enough chances to fix their crap defending.
Montreal would be the better choice.
I have bee to and like both cities. That being said, Montreal is far superior both as a single man or married couple.